Worth It
by AnimeFanime1
Summary: Omega Yuuri Katsuki makes the ultimate sacrifice to ensure his family's future is secure and accepts a mating offer from Alpha Victor Nikiforov, the Pakhan of the Saint Petersburg Bratva.
1. Sacrifice

**A/N** : Hope you enjoy this mafia au/omegaverse au mashup I've created! :)

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Yuuri frowned slightly beneath the white hood of his kimono, face hidden from those surrounding him as he was ushered quickly to a gathering of town cars parked nearby. His new mate's Betas had been waiting to receive him as he'd descended from the plane. Every step he took toward them had felt heavy, weighted down, as if his body were resisting the inevitable future laid out before him.

He was handed off by his Japanese Beta escorts to them upon confirming their identities as his transport. In only a few moments, with the scratching of a pen on the transfer papers on the windy tarmac of Pulkovo Airport, his life was officially no longer his own. It was as if he were a mere object, a fragile package to be delivered from place to place.

All these people had been tasked with the specific duty of ensuring that Alpha Victor Nikiforov received his Omega in perfect condition. He could tell how on edge his handlers had been ever since picking him up in Hasetsu. No one wanted the wrath of the Nikiforov family brought down upon them and heads would roll if there was even a scratch on him. Yuuri hadn't anticipated their fears that he would be a target when he'd accepted the mating offer.

Apparently, there were two other attempts to send Omegas to Victor in the past, but they'd never made it to the Pakhan of the Saint Petersburg Bratva. Only one of them had been found, their naked body discovered by some early morning joggers on the seashore in Saint Petersburg. The other was assumed to have been sold on the black market for Omega slaves based on the last tip that Interpol was able to track.

Even with all the security and concern for his care and keeping, Yuuri couldn't help but feel like little more than a well wrapped present as the attendants on the plane had dressed him up in his bridal kimono, all of them wearing gloves to avoid placing any of their scent upon his skin. He knew this was a long-held custom for his country in situations where a foreigner took a Japanese Omega as a mate, but it didn't mean he had to like it.

He tried to focus on being grateful that the offer from the Alpha had been generous enough to cover his transportation costs and protection. That meant his family would keep all the money from the mating contract.

In the end, his family had received far more money than what he'd even dreamed was possible. He knew that his family was set for life now and they would never need to worry about the onsen going out of business again.

His freedom in exchange for the safety and security of his family…

It was a sacrifice Yuuri had been willing to make.

The last couple of months had been full of forced smiles as he assured his family that this was what he wanted, that it was for the best that he put himself out there on the market for bids. Omegas were rare after all, a precious commodity that provided an incomparably soothing presence for their Alpha and superior quality offspring. The most respected and financially secure Alphas in the world thrived with an Omega by their side and were usually the ones most able to obtain them due to their scarcity.

Having a mate encouraged an Alpha's mental stability by satisfying their most basic instincts. Those Alphas without an Omega were often prone to fits of rage and anger that hurt both their business and personal dealings.

Some resorted to using synthetic Omega pheromones to calm and even out their behavior, but it wasn't the same as the real thing. There were private companies that provided the presence of an Omega at an hourly rate to help Alpha's as well, but the prices were exorbitant and did not go beyond allowing scenting. Of course, one could always illegally hire an Omega prostitute, but that was always a tricky scenario that put an Alpha's reputation at risk, as well as doing little to sate the urges for claiming and building a family.

Yuuri had started off the process by asking his dance instructor and close friend, Minako to help him put together his profile for the Omega database where vetted Alphas were able to view available mates. She had reluctantly agreed and declared that if Yuuri was set on this she would ensure he received top offers to be mated. It was clear that she saw through his practiced smiles, but knew exactly why he had to do it. She'd been a family friend for years and knew their situation better than anyone else outside of it.

They'd decided that one of Yuuri's biggest, er… _selling points_ was that he was a virgin, which they'd had officially documented and confirmed by a certified Omega specialist. The same doctor had completed fertility testing and declared him highly fertile, with regular healthy heats. Essentially, Yuuri was primed for breeding, yet another key trait desired by potential bidders.

His ability to speak both English and Japanese opened a broader pool of candidates to him as well. On top of that, Minako had insisted on including notes regarding his extensive dance training and housekeeping skills due to years of helping with the upkeep at Yu-topia Katsuki.

The final touch had been a couple of photos of him standing amongst the blooming cherry blossoms in the courtyard of his family's onsen. Minako had slicked back his hair and taken off his glasses after the first couple of pictures were taken.

"But won't I be kind of… _lying_ if they see me like this?" Yuuri worried. "I mean, I have to wear my glasses most of the time and I usually don't style my hair like-"

"No, of course not! We're just, uh, making sure they can see your face," She assured him with a shrug as she started taking more photos. Yuuri had nodded resignedly and smiled pretty for the camera.

They had turned out better than he expected and in the span of a week, they were posting his profile to the site and hoping for the best. Yuuri was flabbergasted when he opened his email the next day with over 100 notifications of inquiries regarding his profile already. Minako and his parents were thrilled at the news, while Mari quietly observed, her eyes silently asking him if this was what he truly wanted.

He'd smiled and nodded, even though on the inside he felt like he was falling farther into the dark alone, away from his family and friends into a life that he never thought he'd consider; that of a mated Omega, someone's property by antiquated laws that declared those of his rare dynamic needed of an Alpha's protection.

He'd always considered himself lucky that his father was an Alpha and he could claim his 'protection' under the law, otherwise he would've been forcibly added to the database years ago. But now, there was nothing Yuuri could do but submit to a world that would pay a premium for an Omega such as him.

As the offers continued to roll in, nearly half were dismissed immediately because they didn't meet the minimum amount their family had decided upon from the beginning. The preferred 'bride price' from the family was never revealed to bidders. This was a common practice that often encouraged those who were truly interested and serious about mating them to set a higher initial bid.

Yuuri was firm on the amount they'd set to help weed out the undesirables. If he was going to do this then he was determined to get the largest sum possible.

Alphas did have the Omega index to help initially guide them, not to mention the many books and articles available around the world that were dedicated to helping someone secure a mate through the bid process. The index provided Omegas a rating and was largely based on their fertility, virginity and age. The 'appraised' price range and rating were posted by the government on every profile.

Yuuri had expected that being slightly older than the many 17 and 18 year-old Omegas posted would decrease his rating. Surprisingly, his certified virginity and exemplary fertility testing had shot him up into the top 5 percentile of Omegas currently available to bid upon.

As they sifted through the offers, another 25% of them were thrown out because they were from a multiple Alpha pair. If he could, Yuuri preferred entering into a singular mating bond with one Alpha. He didn't want to step into an established relationship and feel like the third wheel. He was hoping whomever he chose would share those sentiments.

On the fifth day of review, an offer came through while he and Minako were sorting through the latest batch and it blew the others away. It was double the amount of any other bid and it was a foreigner, which wasn't uncommon. All Alphas around the world that were allowed on the database went through an extensive approval process to gain access. This was a reassurance to families of Omegas that there was no reason to be concerned that someone wasn't who they said they were. Of course that didn't prevent Minako from immediately Googling the man's name within seconds.

"Victor Nikiforov…" Minako mumbled to herself as the search popped back a Wikipedia page as the first result. It wasn't uncommon for high-profile Alphas to have such a thing. They were often politicians or CEOs or…

"Pakhan of the Saint Petersburg Bratva and head of the Nikiforov family…" She immediately switched back to the database and clicked the declined button for the offer.

"Minako!" Yuuri exclaimed. "What are you doing? Shouldn't we have at least considered his-"

"No, Yuuri…just, no," She snapped out, expression softening as she looked up at his shocked face. "You don't understand, it's dangerous. He's a criminal. _It's not worth it_."

"Okay, okay…I get it," Yuuri replied softly as he nodded in agreement and they moved on to the next offer.

 **xxx**

"Are you kidding me!?" The silver-haired Alpha growled out angrily as he read the email stating that his offer had been declined. He'd only sent it a few hours ago. Was his bid too low? Victor had thought it more than generous. Maybe this Omega was playing hard to get?

 _Or he Googled me._ Victor scowled and opened his laptop. _Damn Wikipedia._

"What happened?" The blonde Beta lounging on the couch in his office glanced at Victor with mild curiosity. "Someone misspell a word in an email again?" Chris teased with a snort of amusement. Victor had been prone to fits of rage for some time now, so it wasn't taking a lot to set him off.

"If you weren't so good at your job, I would kick your ass for that." Victor spit out as he pulled up the database on his computer. "No, my bid was rejected."

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised," Chris replied as he sat up to watch the Alpha. "We may have been able to grease some wheels to maintain your access after what happened to the others, but any Omega worth having is going to have their family Googling your-"

"I'm well aware of my… _reputation_ , Chris." Victor snarled as he pulled up the page to re-submit his bid. "But I want this Omega. He's perfect." The Alpha's expression bled to one of adoration as he read over the profile once more, cinnamon-hued eyes gazing back at him from the picture posted there.

"No one's perfect, my friend." Chris laid back on the couch again with a sigh and started to scroll through emails on his phone.

"He is…" Victor murmured to himself as he increased the bid to an obscene amount and re-submitted it. "And I will have him."

 **xxx**

Yuuri opened up his inbox in the database a few hours after Minako left. They'd agreed that he would review offers ahead of the next day when they met once more to save time. They were continually running behind as the bids flooded in and they figured he could get rid of the ones that didn't meet minimum on his own.

 _Huh…I thought Minako marked this one as a no?_ Yuuri opened the bid from Victor Nikiforov and scrolled to the bottom to decline it, but hesitated as he realized this was a re-submission. He scanned the offer for changes, eyes widening as he saw that the offer had gone from double to triple the amount.

 _Holy shit._ Yuuri leaned back from the computer, slumping back into his chair and running a hand through his hair as he considered-

 _No, Minako said it would be a bad idea._ Yuuri told himself as he sat up again and took hold of the mouse again.

 _But it can't hurt to consider it, right? I mean, he really seems interested and that's a lot of money. Besides, if he's approved for the database, he must not be that bad…_

 _…right?_ Yuuri considered what that kind of money could do for his family as he pulled up Victor's picture. His heart leapt into his throat at the sight of the tall, handsome, silver-haired Alpha.

 _Wow…yeah, there must be something wrong with him. Why would he want me? He could have anyone._

 _But…he wants me._ Yuuri's hand moved the mouse's arrow across the screen, hovering between the decline and accept buttons. His hand shook as he made his choice.

Minako was wrong.

 _It is worth it._

* * *

 **Endnote:**

If you like this, check out my other YOI fics: Yutopia and Sunset in Hasetsu

You can visit me on Tumblr as well! user name: animefanimefic


	2. Extravagance

"Your Alpha regrets that he was not able to be here in person to greet you, but there were security concerns which you are well aware of," A blonde Beta explained as he opened the door of one of the cars for Yuuri. The young man slid inside before peering up at him curiously from beneath his white hood to meet his gaze.

"Your accent…you're not Russian?" The man chuckled softly and shook his head.

"No, I'm certainly not, but I do speak it." He assured the Omega with a playful wink before closing the door and tapping the roof before heading to one of the other cars. Yuuri looked at his surroundings as they began to move, eyeing the leather upholstery, running his fingers along the shiny wood paneling of the interior. He glanced at the dark privacy glass separating him from the driver and realized he was blessedly alone for the first time in nearly 24 hours.

He relaxed into the seat as much as possible given his clothing's restrictions and let out a relieved sigh. Yuuri sat for several long seconds like that before he realized something was…off. He sniffed the air and couldn't seem to pick up on anyone else's pheromones in the small space he was in.

 _Has it been de-scented?_ He wondered, as he took a deeper breath and finally caught a faint hint of clove and evergreen trees. _Where is it coming from?_

He wished he had his glasses, but they were packed within his carry-on bag. His eyewear had been deemed unacceptable by his attendants on the plane as they dressed him. He followed his nose instead, hands feeling around for whatever was-

"Oh…" Yuuri murmured as his fingers brushed against something velvet in the seat next to him. He squinted in the dim lights of the car, picking up the black velvet box that had practically blended in with the dark leather seats and held it up to his nose. _Yes, this is it._

Yuuri placed the square case in his lap and ran his fingers along the edge to find an opening to it. He pried open the lid and gasped at the sight of the diamond necklace within. Yuuri's hand shook as he ran his fingers along the gems that seemed to dance and flicker before his eyes, catching the small bits of light that made its way into the backseat.

 _Is this for me? Really? It's so beautiful._ Yuuri pulled out a small piece of paper that sat within the red silk lined box and held it up to the window to try and read it. The words were handwritten and rather messy, which didn't help when his eyesight was sketchy at best without his glasses.

 _'Dearest Yuuri.' Is that what it says? Yes, okay, at least I know it's for me._

 _It would please me if you wore this co-_ Yuuri's eyes narrowed, mouth twisting bitterly as he dropped the note back into the box like it had burned him. He realized exactly what this was now.

 _It's a collar._ He thought as he disdainfully pulled the jeweled choker from the box and turned it around in his hands. It took mere moments to discover what he'd missed at first glance…a small, but highly effective auto-locking mechanism. He looked once again into the box and caught sight of the small inset spot within that held a key. It was customary that his Alpha would keep hold of it at all times when he was wearing it. This was a sign of his possession of Yuuri, as well as a barrier to prevent any other Alpha from touching the scent glands at his throat.

Many Omegas would be thrilled to receive such a gorgeous collar, but Yuuri…

The young man let out an anguished sob as the harsh reality of everything hit him once again. He squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed back the wave of panic that sought to drag him down into the depths of despair. This 'gift' was nothing more than a pair of cuffs from his new jailer.

 _Maybe he'll add a pair of those later to match._ Yuuri let out a shuddering breath as he opened his eyes, wiping away a tear that slid down his cheek. Some Alphas in traditional families would cuff the scent glands at the wrists of their Omegas as well.

 _I chose this. I need to stop being a baby and own up to it. Victor has been very generous to my family and this is just…a piece of jewelry_. He told himself, sniffling as he picked up the key and unlocked the collar with unsteady hands. He tossed the key back in the box and brought the jewelry up to his neck, wrapping it around the column of his throat until the two ends met and the telltale click of the lock signaled the beginning of his life in captivity.

 **xxx**

"Everything went well at the airport. No signs of trouble so far." Chris assured the Alpha over the phone as they continued to drive back to the mansion. "This won't end up like-"

"Don't even say it. I can't think about it right now." Victor replied as he remembered the beautiful Omegas who he couldn't protect and his friends who had been caught in the crossfire on both occasions. He had vowed that he would never let that happen again. He would keep this one safe from his enemies.

"Otabek is the best driver you have. We'll be fine. See you in about twenty, boss."

Victor hung up the phone and continued to alternate between pacing back and forth across the marble floor of the main entry and checking his appearance in a nearby mirror. He glanced down at his poodle Makkachin, who followed him diligently and whined softly at his master for attention every once in awhile.

Victor obliged with quick scratches behind the ear but was too distracted for much more. He wanted to ensure that he made a good impression on his mate and his focus was completely centered on making sure they were prepared to receive him.

The already impeccable manor had been cleaned and polished until it practically glowed. Every kind of food the chef could think of had been stocked in the kitchen to ensure Victor's Omega would have his choice of anything his heart desired to eat. The Alpha had read in several books that Omega's who were well fed had a higher chance of conceiving and he wanted to make sure his sweet mate would have no obstacles to carrying their baby.

In addition, he'd had his assistant purchase a new bed. It was the latest model designed to cushion and support an Omega's delicate body. It had been delivered wrapped up in several layers of scentless material and placed on the frame by Beta's wearing gloves to prevent their scent from transferring to the mattress. According to _'The Care and Keeping of Your OmegaTM – Volume 3'_ he should ensure that no scent was upon their bed beside his and his mate's from now on.

 _I hope I've remembered everything._ He worried as he absently pet Makka and stared at the front door. _I want everything to be perfect._

The sound of cars pulling into the turnaround in front had him running to the mirror to check his hair a final time before moving to stand next to the table in the center of the foyer. He briefly leaned in to smell the elaborate bouquet of roses and wondered for the millionth time what his Omega would smell like.

 _*click*_ The door opening caused Makkachin to bounce with excitement, eager to greet their visitors.

"Not now Makka," He muttered quietly to the pup, who let out a little huff and quickly sat down beside him. Victor breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing he needed was his dog tackling his new mate.

Chris grinned as he strode into the house, holding the door wide for the comparatively petite figure that followed behind. Victor's breath caught as Yuuri made his way inside, the first thing he noticed was how the Omega's snow white kimono trailed along with a soft musical swish on the ground beneath him, the gentle tapping of his zori clad feet an accompanying rhythm as he drew closer.

The Alpha's gaze trailed upward as he took it all in, heart beating wildly as he saw the velvet box in Yuuri's hands and the collar gracing his beautiful neck. He took several nervous steps forward, desperate to see the face partially hidden beneath the kimono's hood. He'd longed to see him in person, not just a photograph. He met the young Omega halfway across the room and took the box from his hands.

"Do you like your gift?" Victor asked hopefully as he took the key from where it lay against the red lining inside. He slid it into his pocket before handing the box to Chris for safe keeping.

"Yes," Yuuri murmured, raising his head to shyly peek at him from beneath the hood. "Um, thank you very much."

Victor swallowed hard as he gazed into the innocent cinnamon-hued eyes before him and took Yuuri's hands into his own, bringing them to his lips and placing a kiss on the back of each one. He caught a hint of the young man's scent wafting from the glands at his wrists and felt a calm wash over him as he breathed in the aroma of lavender and honey.

"You are just perfect," He whispered against Yuuri's fingertips as a peace like he'd never known settled throughout his body. The Omega blushed and gave him a small smile in response, even as exhaustion filled his gaze.

 _Poor little thing, he must be tired after such a long trip._

"Let me show you to our room," Victor gestured toward the stairs, keeping hold of his hand as he led him toward them. Yuuri's fingers tensed against Victor's own at his words and he ducked his head once again to hide within the folds of his kimono.

 _He's so shy and cute!_ Victor thought with a smile.

"O-okay," Yuuri mumbled as Victor guided him to the master suite.

"I can draw you a bath if you'd like?" Victor offered as they walked into the room, pointing to one of two doors to their left.

"I think I would like that. Thank you," Yuuri replied softly as he looked around the massive room decorated in tones of gray, white and pale blue. His eyes grew wider as they landed upon the huge bed, adorned with a fluffy white comforter and piles of soft pillows and blankets.

"I hope you like it," Victor murmured. Yuuri nodded silently and cleared his throat, a faint scent of distress filling the air.

 _He must be more worn out from traveling than I thought._ Victor worried as he tried to recall the instructions for managing distress from the chapter titled _'Supporting Your Transitioning Omega'_.

 _Maybe I can go find it while he's in the bath relaxing._

"I'll go start the water," Victor called over his shoulder as he hurried to the bathroom, making his way to the large tub on one end of the space. He started the water and poured in a generous amount of the unscented and _'safe for your Omega's delicate skinTM'_ bubble bath.

 _Okay, I can do this._ Victor thought proudly as he put away the bubble bath.

 _This really isn't so hard._ He decided as he grabbed the new robe he'd bought especially for his Omega from the hanger behind the door and went to let Yuuri know the bath would be ready soon.

 **xxx**

 _Okay, I can do this._ Yuuri's hands shook as he watched Victor go into the bathroom. His eyes drifted to the bed once more, the place where he was expected to lie back and spread his legs for a man he barely knew. Yuuri's lips pursed in distaste.

 _Who am I kidding? I'll probably end up face down, ass up…but at least I can hide my face that way, maybe it's better just to get it over with. I just hope it doesn't hurt too much._ He sighed as he heard the water turn on and began to tug at the kimono, trying to loosen and remove it. The Omega huffed in frustration as he made little progress no matter what he tried to do to take it off.

 _Damn it! They really did wrap me up like a damn present. I can't get it off by myself, crap!_ He felt his panic rising again as he yanked frantically at the material to no avail. _I'm trapped, I can't-_

Yuuri let out a whine as he tore at the fabric, the collar at his throat suddenly felt like hands squeezing the air from his body.

 _Can't breathe…can't-_ The world was getting fuzzy around the edges and tilting…

"Yuuri!"

He was falling…into the darkness that he'd so feared without his family there to catch him. He had no one…he was alone…he was-

Strong arms wrapped around him to halt his descent. A steadying warmth pressed against his side as he was gently lowered to the floor and quickly rolled onto his side.

"Just breathe, it's okay, shh…" The Alpha's voice sounded distant as Yuuri's breath came out in short gasps and pants. He was dimly aware of his hood being pulled back and away from his head. Hands fumbled against the back of his neck, fingers moving swiftly to unlock the collar and slide it off him.

Yuuri's opened his eyes slightly and stared blankly at the unfamiliar carpet stretching out before him. He found himself unable to grasp on to any one particular thought that whirled through his mind. He somehow knew that willing his body to move would be an impossible task as well.

The Omega let out a soft grunt of displeasure as he was shifted again, rolled onto his back before being pulled into the cradle of someone's arms. He gazed into a pair of frightened azure-hued eyes and tried to recall who this man holding him was. The man held a phone to his ear and was talking rapidly in a language Yuuri couldn't understand.

"Crooning? Da…okay."

Yuuri felt a low, soothing vibration spread through his body as the scent of evergreen trees and clove filled the air. His eyes closed as his breathing began to even out further and his rapid heartbeat slowed. The Omega was unsure how long he drifted like that; dancing back and forth from the edge of wakefulness to complete oblivion. Hushed voices speaking in another language came and went, as did the gentle rumbling until finally, he opened his eyes and it was as if a switch had been flipped.

 _What the hell happened? Did I…drop?_ Yuuri groaned and tried to sit up in an attempt to shake off the last of the disorientation that gripped his consciousness. An arm tightened around his waist and he glanced over his shoulder at the man sleeping there.

 _Victor...he stayed with me?_ Yuuri shifted slightly so he could sit up without moving the man's arm much. He didn't want to wake Victor until he felt more alert. The Omega wearily glanced down at his body, confusion filling his mind as he took in the sight of the light blue sleeveless sleeping gown he wore.

 _How did I get out of my…_ His thoughts trailed off, jaw dropping as he saw the pile of fabric about ten feet away on the floor. A pair of scissors lay next to the destroyed kimono and obi.

"I'm sorry, but the Omega Specialist recommended I get you out of it as fast as possible. He said it would help alleviate the drop," Victor murmured sleepily where he now lying awake beside him.

"I understand," He assured the Alpha. "I apologize if I worried you."

"I'm just glad you're okay." Victor's brow furrowed in concern. "Has that happened before?"

"Just once…years ago when I first presented," Yuuri replied, trying to think of something to change the subject as his fingers rubbed back and forth against the super soft gown he was dressed in. He couldn't deny the Omegan instinct to revel in the delightfully smooth texture. "Um, this is nice," Yuuri gestured to his sleepwear.

"Really?" Victor sat up next to him, eyes wide and excited as a puppy. "I told my assistant to get only the best for you. Half of the closet is full of clothes and shoes and all sorts of things for you," Yuuri's hand went to his throat as he realized he wasn't wearing his collar.

"Please tell me I didn't break it," He asked fearfully. _It must be so expensive._

"No, I took it off when you dropped. It's in the wardrobe with the rest of them." Victor reassured him with a smile.

"The rest of what?" Yuuri asked in confusion.

"The rest of your collars and jewelry of course," Victor explained as if it were the most normal thing in the world and to him. Yuuri quickly realized that it probably was.

"My family has amassed quite a collection over the last century or so and they all belong to you now as my mate. I can't wait to see them on you!" He practically bounced where he sat, talking a mile a minute.

"Oh, and don't worry, they've all been cleaned of any other scents." Yuuri forced himself to smile in the face of Victor's enthusiasm.

"Thank you, that's very…considerate," Yuuri whispered, swallowing down the scream that wanted to escape.

"Anything for my Omega," Victor replied happily as he leaned in to place a kiss on his forehead.

Yuuri had almost forgotten that he was at Victor's mercy, dependent on him for everything.

This Alpha would dress him how he wanted, cover him in jewels and then play with his pretty, new toy however he chose.

No matter how gilded or sparkling the things Victor gave him might be...

They were still only the trappings of a very extravagant cage.

* * *

 **Endnote:**

If you like this, check out my other YOI fics: Yutopia and Sunset in Hasetsu

You can visit me on Tumblr as well! user name: animefanimefic


	3. Adaptation

It wasn't long before Yuuri fell asleep again after he'd initially woke. He'd been unable to escape the jet lag that weighed heavily on him in combination with his unexpected drop. When he finally woke the next morning, it was to the rumbling of his neglected stomach.

Yuuri glanced to the spot next to him and was surprised to discover it was empty. His hand slid across the wonderfully soft sheets and found them cold, not even a hint of the warmth that had wrapped around his body as he slept. He felt a brief pang of loneliness and immediately shoved it down, unwilling to entertain those kinds of emotions.

 _I should be happy he's leaving me alone. Yes, I'm glad to have some time to myself._ He rubbed his eyes and yawned before squinting at the clock by the bed. He noticed a note lying next to it and picked it up, growling lowly in frustration as he tried to decipher it without his glasses.

 _I'm going to need to find them as soon as possible._ He decided as he read it.

 _Dearest Yuuri,_ _If you wake before I return, I apologize. I had unavoidable business to attend to this morning but will be back soon._ _Love,_ _Victor_

His stomach rumbled again as he set the note down and he slid from the bed. He made his way to the bathroom to seek out the bath he'd been unable to take the night before. Once he was clean and dressed he would attempt to find his way through the maze of halls and rooms to the kitchen.

Yuuri's eyes widened as he went inside. Even after the opulence of the rest of the home, he was unprepared for the lavish bathroom with its heated marble floors, the walk-in shower that had more jets and faucets than Yuuri knew what to do with, not to mention the Olympic-sized pool masquerading as a bath tub.

 _Holy crap, this is all so…much._ He thought as he plugged the tub and examined the handles closely before turning it on. He looked inside a cabinet next to the bath and let out a snort of amusement as he pulled out a bottle of unscented bubbles designed for Omegas. Yuuri eyed the jasmine scented bath oil beside it and considered 'accidently' using it instead, but ultimately decided he didn't want to upset his new mate.

 _I need to make an effort._ Yuuri poured in some of the unscented bubble bath and put away the bottle. _He's been nothing but kind to me so far and this is…my life now._ He glanced around for a robe and retrieved one that was hanging from the back of the door. He tentatively sniffed at it and found only a hint of Victor's scent upon it.

 _Good enough, I suppose._ Yuuri took another quick breath of the pleasant scent wafting from the fabric before tossing it on a chair next to the tub, along with a couple of fluffy white towels. He dipped his fingers in the water and smiled.

 _Just a little longer and it should be full enough._ He slipped off his night gown and hurried to the shower, unable to let go of old habits quite yet in regard to washing before bathing. He raised an eyebrow at the ' _Omega-safe_ _TM_ ' shampoo, conditioner, and body wash but dutifully used the first two, immediately missing his vanilla scented products from home.

 _It's not that big of a deal. I can adjust. It's just a small thing._ He assured himself as he exited the shower, trying not to drip everywhere as he made his way back to the tub and carefully climbed into the steaming pool of bubbles. He descended beneath the surface with a happy sigh and turned off the faucet before leaning back to rest his head against the cushy bath pillow installed along the edge.

 _This isn't so bad I guess._ Yuuri lazily popped the bubbles and smiled. _Yeah, I could probably get used to this._

 **xxx**

Victor glared at the Beta strapped in the chair in the center of the room as he walked in. The man had been sneaking around at the edge of his property in the early morning hours and was caught by his guards. He bore tattoos that indicated his allegiance to a rival organization, one that they'd suspected had killed the first Omega he'd planned to mate with years ago.

He was livid when he'd found out. If they thought they could get anywhere near his Yuuri, they were sorely mistaken. One of his interrogators had been at him for an hour already and had yet to get anything useful out of him.

 _This is a waste of my fucking time. I could be curled up in bed with my Omega right now._ He strode over to a table filled with various implements as he heard a satisfying crunch of a fist impacting bone. The Alpha quickly and efficiently put on a pair of latex gloves as the thudding rhythm of punches being landed continued on behind him.

He picked up the first knife he came across, not caring too much about what the tool was as long as it could get the job done. Victor turned with an annoyed sigh before making his way over where the man was seated and burying it to the hilt in his thigh.

"What the fuck, Victor?" Yuri snapped out, ignoring the pained screams from behind the duct tape covering the man's mouth. He rolled his eyes as Victor twisted the knife before yanking it out.

"You couldn't give me another twenty minutes? Jesus, you're an impatient asshole lately, you know that?" The blond turned with a frustrated growl and took off the bloodied brass knuckles he wore, tossing them into a bucket on the floor to be cleaned later.

"It was taking too long," Victor replied with a shrug, gesturing with the knife to the sobbing man in the chair.

"And I have a feeling he'll be more receptive now." He pressed the tip of the blade beneath his captive's chin and tilted his face up. "Won't you?" The man nodded slightly, obviously trying to avoid cutting himself further. "Good."

The Alpha turned away and carelessly lobbed the knife into the cleaning bucket. He frowned as he noticed the spattering of blood across his shirt.

"Let me know when you have something," Victor muttered as he peeled off his gloves and threw them away as he headed for the door. "I'm going to check on my mate."

"Da…I will," Yuri mumbled as he snapped a fresh pair of latex gloves on his hands and perused the various options on the table before him, eventually picking up a scalpel and turning to the man in the chair with a grin. "Let's see if we can make you look extra pretty…"

Victor shook his head in amusement as he left the room. Sometimes he had to wonder if Yuri liked his job a little too much.

 _I suppose it's good to be passionate about something though._ The Alpha made his way upstairs to the bedroom, eager to see if Yuuri was awake. Leaving him had been incredibly difficult that morning, but when his assistant had notified him of the security breach, he'd felt compelled to personally take action.

The bed was empty as he entered, but the closed door of the bathroom reassured him that his Omega was still safely ensconced in their suite. He made his way to the walk-in closet to find a new shirt. The last thing he wanted to do was expose his sweet, innocent mate to the bloody mess he'd made.

He unbuttoned his shirt as he looked through the abundance of clothing hanging on the racks before him. Victor was a strong believer that 'clothes make the man' and couldn't deny that he had a weakness for bespoke suits and high-quality clothing in general.

The Alpha tossed his shirt into what his assistant jokingly referred to as the 'burn bin'. It was the place he left anything that must be incinerated, either to get rid of evidence or because it was damaged.

 _Another one bites the dust. It's too bad, I liked that one._ Victor sighed as he turned to find a new shirt. He stopped in surprise at the sight of Yuuri standing just inside the door wearing a robe.

The Omega's skin was flushed and dewy from bathing, damp hair messily slicked back from his face. Yuuri's cinnamon-hued eyes were wide as saucers as he stared at Victor's half-naked body. His cheeks turning even pinker than before as he looked away.

 _God, he's stunning._ Victor thought to himself as desire overrode all other rational thought. Yuuri gasped softly as the Alpha's lust-filled pheromones spread through the entire room, an instinctive mating call to the lovely Omega before him.

"Yuuri…" Victor breathed out as he took a step towards the other man. "I want you so much."

The Omega whimpered quietly and took a step back, a confusing mix of distress and arousal emanating from him. Victor stopped where he was and tried to make sense of it, not wanting to send him back into a drop. He was sure Yuuri was attracted to him…wasn't this what he wanted as well?

 **xxx**

Yuuri swallowed hard at the view he was afforded as he entered the closet to try to find something to wear. Victor was standing with his back to him across the room and even with his impaired vision, it was obvious that the man's body was…

 _So hot. Wow. Why does he wear suits and cover all that up?_ _I wonder what he'd look like completely_ na _-_ Yuuri mentally slapped himself for such lewd thoughts as Victor turned around and he suddenly felt like a deer in the headlights.

As Victor's pheromones grew thick in the air, he found his own body responding, undeniably drawn to the Alpha. Yuuri couldn't even feel bad about it. He knew he wasn't in love with the man, but God was he attractive.

"Yuuri, I want you so bad."

The man's words and actions were a wake-up call, jolting him from his distracted thoughts and sending a wave of anxiety through him as he realized exactly _what_ Victor must 'want so bad'. His Omega side was practically panting for it after so many years of being without a mate, and now here he was…standing before a sexy Alpha who wanted _him_ …

 _I'm stronger than this._ Yuuri forced himself to dig deep and seek the rational part of him that could overcome the urges attempting to consume him. He whimpered as he took a shaky step back in an attempt to regain control.

Victor's shoulders slumped as Yuuri drew away, but the Alpha maintained his distance, no longer advancing toward him. Yuuri felt a pang of guilt that he might be hurting the other man's feelings, but he couldn't help how he felt…that he was scared.

"I'm sorry," Victor murmured, voice full of sorrow as he turned away to rifle through the clothes hanging on the wall.

"Victor, I'm not- I just…"

The Alpha glanced at him, expression indecipherable. Yuuri was still trying to understand why the man didn't just take whatever it is he wanted. He certainly hadn't expected any less when he'd entered into this.

But as Victor waited patiently for him to continue speaking, Yuuri realized that the man before him just might be much more than he ever expected.

Yuuri gathered his courage and took a step forward, and then another, slowly closing the distance until finally, he was standing within inches of the other man, looking down at the ground, too nervous to meet his eyes. Now that he was there, he had no idea what to say or do…

"Yuuri?" Victor's hand slowly moved to grasp his chin, giving the Omega plenty of time to ask him to stop or back away. Yuuri steeled his resolve and stood his ground as Victor tilted his face upward. The young man's breath hitched as he gazed into the Alpha's beautiful blue eyes and his scent surrounded him once more. Yuuri's soothing scent of lavender and honey released in response, eyelids briefly fluttering closed as Victor's thumb brushed slowly across his lower lip.

"How can anything be so beautiful?" Victor whispered. "So precious and perfect."

Yuuri felt tears well up in his eyes. No one had ever called him beautiful before. No one had ever touched him like he was something to be worshipped and adored. No one had ever looked at him like Victor was at that moment.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to upset you," The Alpha sputtered out at the sight of Yuuri's tears, hands sliding away. "I'll leave."

 _No…_

Yuuri grabbed his hand in his own and brought it to his cheek. Victor's startled expression was almost comical as the Omega leaned into his touch.

"Can we just…take it slow?" Yuuri asked hopefully as he breathed in the woodsy scent of the man before him. Victor smiled and nodded, seeming to relax at the younger man's words. Yuuri's stomach rumbled loudly, demanding that he feed a different kind of hunger. Victor laughed softly in response, which caused Yuuri to duck his head in embarrassment.

"I'll let you get dressed and then we can head down for lunch," Victor's suggested. The man's touch left him as he reached for a shirt from the closet, leaving Yuuri with the sense of being adrift without it to anchor him. "The cook should have something prepared by now."

"Okay."

"Everything in the cabinets and drawers on that side is yours," Victor gestured to the other wall. "Why don't you put on something comfortable and I'll be waiting in the bedroom for you." He gently grasped Yuuri's wrist before turning to leave, placing a kiss on the scent gland there. Yuuri felt arousal roil through him once more as he watched the man leave. Glancing down at his wrist, he half expected to see an imprint of Victor's lips there…

It was like he could still feel the soft press of his mouth upon his skin.

And Yuuri found he didn't mind the sensation that much.

In fact, he didn't mind it at all.

Yuuri felt a genuine smile creep across his face as he excitedly made his way to his side of the closet.

 _Maybe this will work out._ _Victor seems willing to listen to me and-_ Yuuri's jaw dropped as he opened one of the drawers and was greeted by perfectly folded lace panties in every conceivable color.

 _This must be some kind of mistake._ Yuuri opened the one below, face growing hot at the sight of garter belts in an array of hues, as well as packages of unopened thigh-high stockings.

 _No…freaking…way…_ Yuuri swiftly made his way along the wall, opening drawers and throwing the wardrobe doors wide.

Delicate lingerie…cashmere sleepwear…clothing in silks and satins, leather and lace…shoes of every style and type...

 _What the hell..._

Yuuri pulled out another drawer in exasperation and was presented with the many collars Victor had mentioned, carefully displayed against the black velvet lining within. As he'd suspected on the drive there the day before, there were several sets of jeweled cuffs laid out alongside them.

 _I wonder if he'll expect me to wear these all the time or just on special occasions._ The Omega eyed several comparatively casual collars and cuffs set on the other side of the open drawer and sighed. The jewelry was beautiful and Yuuri felt again like he was being ungrateful for what was being offered him by this seemingly kind man. This was a life that almost any Omega would kill for. He ran his finger along the inside of one of the 'everyday' collars, the silk lining was soft on his skin.

 _I have to keep trying to make this work._ He pulled out a pair of lace boyshorts and took a deep breath, gaze filled with determination.

 _I can do this._

* * *

 **Endnote:**

If you like this, check out my other YOI fics: Yutopia and Sunset in Hasetsu

You can visit me on Tumblr as well! user name: animefanimefic


	4. Roses

"They are definitely trying to get a look at your Omega," Yuri muttered.

Victor glanced toward the closet, moving away as he continued to speak with Yuri over the phone.

"He was only supposed to be doing reconnaissance and got ambitious by coming so close to the house, idiot," Yuri explained over the man's muffled screaming in the background. Victor briefly wondered just what Yuri had done to elicit such a response. He was proud of the younger man's dedication to getting the job done. Though he would never tell Yuri that. The blond would just find it annoying and tell him to fuck off.

"Do you think there's anything else that he can tell us?" The Alpha was curious whether there was anything else to squeeze from the man before they put him out of his misery.

"Unfortunately, no."

"That's a shame, but I'll trust your judgment on this. Go ahead and dispose of him as soon as possible." Victor ordered.

"It's the middle of the day, can I at least wait until dark to dump him?" Yuri asked with a sigh.

"I suppose," Victor agreed, a marvelously vindictive idea forming in his mind to send a message to the man's employer. "In fact, why don't you go ahead and leave his body on the same patch of seashore where they found…her."

"Fuck, that's like a 45-minute trip each way," Yuri whined. "Can I at least borrow Otabek to drive me?"

Victor bit back a chuckle. He was well-aware of the romance brewing between the two Betas and found it adorable that they thought they were somehow sneaky about it. He abhorred the idea that he could deny anyone their happiness when he was on the cusp of finding his own with Yuuri.

"Fine, I don't expect to go out tonight anyway."

"Well look at you acting all reasonable. Maybe finally having an Omega around is a good thing!" Yuri laughed as he hung up. Victor let out a huff of amusement and slid the phone into his pocket. Yuri and Chris were two of the very few he allowed such candid banter from. The young blond had practically grown up in the organization after the death of his family and was like a brother to him. With Chris, well he'd known the Beta since his youth when they'd attended the same boarding school in Switzerland. He knew one thing unequivocally, that both men would loyally follow him no matter what.

 **xxx**

Yuuri pulled on the long blue-gray cashmere cardigan over a white tank and hoped the clothing he'd chosen would be acceptable to the silver-haired Alpha.

 _After all, he did say 'comfortable'._ Yuuri quickly glanced in the mirror to make sure the jogger pants, in the same color as the cardigan looked alright. Yuuri blushed at the feeling of the soft panties beneath them. They made him feel…naughty. Like he was getting away with something illicit.

He began to close the many drawers and cabinets of the wardrobe, but as he came to the one with the collars and cuffs, he paused in consideration of them.

 _In for a penny, in for a pound. Is that the saying?_ He wondered as he looked them over. He finally selected a pale blue one with roses and vines embossed upon the leather. The Omega sighed and grabbed the key for it before closing the drawer.

 _Here goes nothing._ Yuuri took a calming breath and walked back to the bedroom before he could lose his nerve. Victor was sliding his phone back in his pocket as he entered, turning to smile at him.

"You look wonderful!" The Alpha exclaimed as he crossed the room to join him.

"Thank you, um…" Yuuri hesitantly held up the collar in one of his hands to show the other man. "I wasn't sure if you wanted me to wear one, so I brought this out just in case."

"That's so sweet of you. I can't believe I didn't think of it. Thank you, Yuuri," Victor replied as he took the key from Yuuri's outstretched hand. "The color will go beautifully with what you're wearing."

"I'm glad you think so," Yuuri murmured as he tried to swallow down the anxiety attempting to surface.

"Here, let me help," Victor cheerfully reached out to take the collar and unlocked it before sliding the key in his pocket. Yuuri turned around to allow the other man better access to put it on him. The Omega's breath hitched as he felt Victor draw closer, his scent enveloping him. There was something about this Alpha that made his body react like no other he'd met before, a tingling from the tips of his toes to the top of his head.

"You smell so good," Victor muttered softly, so close that he could feel the man's heated breath against the back of his neck. It normally would've concerned Yuuri to be this close to an Alpha, but something about what Victor was doing felt so right.

"Can I scent mark you, Yuuri?"

The Omega found he wanted that very much. He barely managed a small needy sound of assent as he rolled his head to the side, exposing the long line of his throat in submission to the Alpha. Yuuri was well-aware of the overall benefits of scent marking one's mate. It would serve to calm and steady the other man, as well as provide Yuuri undeniable evidence of Victor's protection on his body.

However, all logic regarding their actions evaded him upon feeling the older male's lips pressed against his scent gland. His eyes fell closed as he let out a quiet moan, the need to be touched by Victor overriding all else.

 _Oh…yes, that's nice…really nice._ Yuuri mind grew pleasantly hazy as he felt Victor's teeth graze his sensitive skin. His knees grew weak and just when he thought he might collapse, the Alpha's strong arms wrapped around his waist, holding him up against him as he nuzzled Yuuri's throat. Yuuri eventually turned his head to the other side, drifting happily in Victor's embrace as the man marked the other gland as well.

Yuuri wasn't sure when, but at some point, he lost the ability to hold back the moans and whines that wanted to spill from his lips. The Alpha's mouth was like a weapon he could gather no defense against, sending waves of desire through his body with every flick of his tongue. It wasn't long before the Omega's aroused fragrance became just as heavy in the air as Victor's own.

When Victor finished marking him, the sound of their panting breaths filled the otherwise silent room. Yuuri's eyes blinked open in dazed surprise at the feeling of Victor's thick, hard length pressed against his ass.

Yuuri wasn't sure whether he wanted to roll his hips back against Victor for more or run away as fast as he could from the situation. There was a part of him that was undeniably flattered that he could affect Victor so strongly. He was drawn from the whirlwind of thoughts in his head only moments later when Victor carefully released him from his arms, hands steady as he brought the collar to Yuuri's throat and locked it in place.

The younger man turned to face him, a sense of pride filling him as he took in the serene expression on Victor's face.

To be able to bring such a thing into his mate's life…

To be the calming force in this Alpha's world…

It reassured him that they were heading in the right direction and he was one step closer to building a strong connection with his mate. Yuuri impulsively leaned in to close the distance between them, lips brushing the other man's mouth in the barest of kisses.

Victor's azure eyes looked at him afterward with a sort of _awe_ for the Omega before him. It made Yuuri blush under his scrutiny, biting his lip as he shyly looked away. Victor appeared to have other ideas for his lips as his hands suddenly cupped Yuuri's face, tilting it upward to seek another kiss.

Victor's mouth was even more dangerous than he'd realized, taking no prisoners as he laid waste to the last shreds of coherent thought that Yuuri had been clinging to so desperately. Victor's tongue was hot and slick, demanding entrance as it teased the seam of the Omega's lips. Yuuri found himself shivering with desire, even as a warmth like he'd never known before pooled in his belly.

It didn't last long unfortunately as a different kind of hunger made itself known with a loud rumbling sound from Yuuri's stomach. They both started laughing, their smiling mouths meeting for one more kiss as they resisted the inevitable separation that needed to happen.

"Let's get some lunch, okay?" The Alpha murmured, reaching down to take Yuuri's hand.

"Okay."


	5. Happy

"Victor? Do you know where my carry-on bag might be? I didn't see it in the closet or bedroom, but I might have missed it." Yuuri asked as he set his fork down.

"Hmm, I'd have to check with my assistant. I'm sure he put it somewhere around here," He assured his mate. "But if there is anything you need from it in the meantime, I can see if we can find a replacement for it."

"Oh, well, you see…my glasses are in there, so it's not something we can replace easily," Yuuri explained as he picked up his glass to take a sip of water.

"Are they for reading?" Victor asked excitedly as he considered the possibility of giving Yuuri a tour of the property. "If you'd like, I can show you the library after lunch, maybe more of the house afterward?"

"I'd love that," Yuuri smiled shyly. "But the glasses are a prescription and to be honest, I should probably find them if we're going to do that."

"Why weren't you wearing them when you arrived?" Victor asked in confusion.

"Um," Yuuri's shoulders slumped slightly as he peered at Victor with an embarrassed expression. "My attendants on the plane didn't think I looked attractive with the glasses on and took them away."

"What?" The Alpha growled lowly in frustration. To think that anyone would dare to say such things to his sweet Yuuri. Someone was going to get an earful from him.

"Please don't be mad," Yuuri's calming scent washed over him and pulled Victor back from tipping over the edge into a full-on rage. The Omega's eyes were wide with concern. "I-I'm sorry if you feel like I've deceived you regarding my appearance. I usually wear them all the time. I was worried something like this might happen."

"No, that's not it at all," Victor reached out tentatively across the distance separating them and was relieved when Yuuri allowed him to take his hand. "I think you're beautiful no matter what. Glasses aren't going to change that. I simply don't like the idea of anyone speaking to you that way. I feel very protective of you."

"Oh…" The blush that spread across Yuuri's face couldn't have been any more attractive. It made Victor want to throw him over his shoulder and carry him back to their room so he could-

The nails on Victor's free hand dug into the skin of his palm as he sought to regain control over the building lust within him. He would not turn into an animal and just take what he wanted from Yuuri. The Alpha was seeking a partner for life and he could not have that without Yuuri's mutual desire.

He had seen too many glassy-eyed Omegas on the arms of their Alphas over the years, only there so that their mate could use them for the soothing benefit of their scent. Victor was determined to be a good provider and protector for Yuuri. He was confident that if he could demonstrate this to the younger man he would be able to win him over.

"Let's go find my assistant and see if he knows where your bag is," Victor suggested as he stood and gestured for Yuuri to follow him. "He's probably in his office. It's right next to mine, so I can show you that as well while we're there."

"Thank you," Yuuri murmured, taking Victor's hand and smiling up at him as they made their way.

"You'll love Phichit. I swear he's the best assistant I've ever had," Victor briefly knocked on the door as they reached it and immediately entered the office without waiting for a response.

"Jesus Chris, I thought you said you locked it!" The Thai Beta screeched out as he shoved Chris away from his position between the young man's legs where he sat atop the desk.

"Shouldn't you be organizing or scheduling something? What even is… _this_?" Victor gestured toward them with an exasperated sigh.

"I wanted Thai for lunch," Chris pouted with kiss-swollen lips.

"Eww," Phichit wrinkled his nose as he slapped the other man on his arm and jumped up from the desk, straightening himself out as he made his way toward them.

"I'm sorry, Victor. It won't happen again."

A small grunt of dissent from Chris across the room made his opinion all too clear on the topic. Victor had a feeling that his longtime friend was in for quite a battle trying to get in his assistant's pants again. Phichit was incredibly strong-willed. It was a trait that he'd found very beneficial as part of his organization.

 _Of course, Chris can be very persuasive when he wants something._ The blond Beta was eyeing Phichit's rear with a hint of a smile on his face as he tucked his shirt back in. Victor could practically see the wheels turning in the man's head and sighed internally. _Oh well, as long as Phichit doesn't quit they can do whatever they want._

"Nice to meet you, Yuuri!" Phichit gave a small wave and bow of his head in acknowledgment of Victor's mate. The Alpha was pleased that he'd remembered not to shake his hand. Victor didn't want anyone's scent on his mate but his own. "I hope you've found everything to your satisfaction so far?"

"Everything is very…nice. Thank you for asking," Yuuri replied, looking to Victor before continuing. "But I was wondering if you knew where my carry-on bag is?"

"Oh, I can answer that," Chris interjected as he came to stand beside Phichit. "Your attendants gave it to us and I put it in Victor's office to avoid any scents that might've been on it from transferring to your bedroom."

"Thank you, Chris," Victor was beyond grateful to his friend for being so considerate. The idea of desecrating the perfect sanctum he'd created for his mate was-

"I don't understand," Yuuri looked to Victor in confusion. "Why would that be a problem?"

"Doesn't it bother you?" It was Victor's turn to be confused. Everything he'd read had told him that a healthy Omega needed an environment like that to-

"Most scents are fairly residual and fade within a day or two. Maybe it doesn't bother me because of all the visitors to the inn growing up. I got used to many scents mixing and changing all the time." Yuuri smiled and shrugged as he turned toward the door. "Can we find my glasses now? I would love to see the house like you mentioned."

"Of course!" He quickly guided Yuuri to his office, even as his mind raced with this new information.

"This is where I tend to either meet with associates or do paperwork that Phichit throws at me," The Alpha walked over to his desk as Yuuri headed toward a small rolling luggage bag. There were several folders sitting atop the mahogany surface and Victor sighed internally. He hoped it wouldn't take too much of his time to review them later.

"Ah-ha, found you," Yuuri murmured excitedly as he pulled out a small case from the front pocket and retrieved his glasses. He shoved the case back in before quickly cleaning the lenses with the bottom edge of his cardigan and placing them on his face.

 _Oh, wow…so cute._ Victor's jaw dropped slightly as Yuuri turned toward him with a hopeful smile on his face.

"Is this okay?" Yuuri asked softly, hands twisting nervously in the hem of his shirt.

Victor nodded wordlessly and crossed the room to join him. He didn't think Yuuri could be more attractive, but the blue half-rimmed glasses gave him a schoolboy charm that the Alpha found both endearing and sexy. He reached up to cup the younger man's face as he examined them more closely, thumb brushing against Yuuri's cheekbone. Victor felt his heart stutter as the Omega leaned into his touch.

"They were fools to take them off you, moy milyy."

"What does that mean?" Yuuri breathed out, eyes half-lidded as Victor leaned in to gently kiss him.

"My sweet," Victor murmured against the other man's plush, soft lips. "You are heavenly."

Yuuri's tempting scent grew stronger with his words, tinged with desire. It made Victor smile. His mate responded so beautifully to praise and was clearly not used to receiving it. The Alpha was more than happy to do so. He felt he could spend hours extolling Yuuri's many virtues, writing poetry in celebration of him. Victor placed another quick kiss upon Yuuri's lips before pulling away and taking a deep breath to rein in his urges completely.

The Omega before him was too tempting for his own good, but Victor was determined to take things at Yuuri's pace. Even if it meant a cold shower or two in the process.

 _It will be worth it in the end to win his heart._

 **xxx**

Victor took him on a tour of the property, excited to show him the various opportunities for relaxing and entertaining himself within the safety of their own home.

The library, the movie room, the small gym in the basement, the indoor pool…

Given what had occurred in the wee hours of the morning with their unexpected guest, Victor was more convinced than ever that the most secure place for his sweet mate was inside, guarded…

 _Heavily guarded._

Victor was thrilled to show him all the provisions he'd had placed in the last couple of weeks to ramp up security for his arrival, but it seemed that Yuuri's earlier good mood faded with every step as he silently nodded in acknowledgment at everything.

 _What am I doing wrong? I just want to be a good Alpha and protect him_. He had hoped that Yuuri would feel safe and cared for…

Happy.

The sour look on Yuuri's face certainly didn't say 'happy'.

" ** _Is this your little piggy?_** " Yuri blurted out in rapid Russian as they crossed paths in the entry on their way back to the upper level.

" ** _Yuri that isn't nice. I don't want to hear you say such a thing again._** " Victor chastised him in their mother tongue. Yuuri was looking at him in confusion and the Alpha realized it was likely because of the similar names.

"Yuuri, this is Yuri," Victor spoke in English now as he gestured to the blond standing before them. "Actually, that might get confusing. Your name is now…Yurio." He declared with a smirk at the angry Beta.

"Fuck that! I was here first, no fair!" Yuri yelled at Victor as he glared at Yuuri. The Omega drew closer to Victor, a slight scent of distress emanating from him in view of the other Yuri's anger. Yuri's face filled with surprise, gaze softening as he became aware of the response he had elicited.

"Whatever…it's fine," He muttered with a resigned sigh before turning and stomping away.

"Thank you…Yurio," Victor called out, only to receive a one-fingered salute from the blond in response. The Alpha chuckled softly and they turned to climb the stairs to the upper level.

"Don't mind him. I've known Yuri for a very long time. He's like family and regardless of how scary he might seem I know he would lay down his life to protect you because you're family now too."

"Family…" Yuuri murmured thoughtfully. "Do you think I could call my parents? Let them know I'm okay?"

"I think that would be wonderful, especially if it would make you happy," Victor assured him as he held the door to their bedroom open for his mate and pulled out his phone. Yuuri climbed up on the bed and sat cross-legged as he took the phone from Victor. "I'll give you some privacy."

"Victor…" Yuuri reached out to grab his hand and squeeze it, an expression of gratitude on his smiling face. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Anytime you want to call them, all you have to do is ask." Victor assured him. Yuuri's eyes shone with unshed tears at his words.

"What's wrong, moy milyy?" Victor asked softly as he sat down next to him, brow furrowed in concern.

"I just…wasn't sure if I'd ever speak to them again," Yuuri sniffled, smiling through the tears. "I'm really happy that I can still have them in my life, even if it's from a distance."

"Oh, Yuuri. I would never keep you from them," Victor replied as he rubbed Yuuri's back soothingly. "Maybe we can set up a Skype chat with them soon as well. Then you'll actually be able to see them."

"That would be amazing!" Yuuri exclaimed. The scent of 'happy Omega' filled the air as the younger man pulled him in for a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around him. Victor sighed contently, his inner Alpha incredibly satisfied to have garnered such a wonderful response from his mate.

"Anything for you, Yuuri," Victor whispered into the soft raven strands of hair. "Anything…"


	6. Advice

"Yutopia Akatsuki, how may I-"

"Mari!"

"Yuuri?!"

The young Omega laughed softly at the blatant change in her tone from bored disinterest to excitement.

"I'm sorry for calling so late, but the opportunity presented itself and-"

"No, no, it's okay! Let me get mom and dad, we were just finishing for the night."

Yuuri smiled as he heard Mari set the phone down with a clatter, her voice yelling out for their parents as she ran to find them. His mind traced her path, every detail of his former home etched in his mind. A wave of melancholy ran through him, longing for the familiar surroundings.

 _It's alright, soon this place will feel like home._ _I just have to give it some time._ He assured himself.

"Yuuri?" His mother's voice brought a rush of emotions to the surface, tears immediately filling his eyes as he tried to speak around the lump in his throat. "Let me put you on speaker, just a second."

"Yuuri, are you still there?" He heard his father ask. It was the final straw that broke him as the tears spilled out with a sob.

"Mom, Dad…" He choked out.

"What happened, Yuuri?" Toshiya asked worriedly.

"Did he do something to you?" Hiroko's tone was laced with concern.

"I'm going to kill him…" Mari snapped out angrily.

Yuuri sniffled and let out a chuckle, unable to help it upon hearing his family's litany of protective words.

"I'm fine. Victor hasn't done anything to me. I just…I miss you."

"We miss you too sweetie," His mother murmured in response. "Is Victor there right now as well?"

"No, he wanted to give me some privacy to talk to you," Yuuri explained. "But he mentioned maybe setting up a Skype chat sometime soon. Maybe you could meet him then?"

"We'd like that Yuu-chan," Toshiya laughed softly. "It sounds like there's hope for him, hmm?"

"Yeah, Dad. I think so," Yuuri murmured in response.

Before he'd left Hasetsu, his dad sat down with him so they could discuss what Yuuri might face when he arrived in Russia. It was obvious to Toshiya that his son was doing this primarily for their benefit, but he hoped that perhaps he would come to find love with this foreigner. His father wanted him to be prepared regarding what to expect, namely a more restrictive lifestyle than he was used to while living at home.

"I've considered myself lucky that I'm an overly dominant Alpha. Your mother and I were blessed that our families supported the match between us. They could've received quite a lot of money from one of her many suitors, but in the end, they allowed her to make her own decision and marry for love." Toshiya sighed as he gestured to the screen before them where Victor's profile was displayed.

"I know why you're doing this Yuuri. I also know how stubborn you can be, so it's pointless to try and get you to change your mind. I'll support your decision to mate with this man, but you need to know what you're getting yourself into."

"Thanks Dad," Yuuri replied as he looked at the silver-haired male on the screen. "Maybe we'll find love in time as well."

"I hope so, son," Toshiya replied, patting his son on the back. "There are three things I want you to remember after you arrive. The first being that powerful Alphas such as Victor can be incredibly controlling and protective. They are used to getting what they want and for an Alpha his age without a mate, you may see this heightened even further. Expect that you may be monitored closely. He will be possessive and it's in his nature to be so with a new mate under his roof. This should lessen with time as he grows more acclimated to having you around."

"Okay, what else?" Yuuri asked with trepidation, trying to wrap his head around everything this mating could mean for him on a daily basis as Victor's Omega.

"Even if his efforts and behavior seem confusing at times, try to see beyond the surface to determine where it's coming from," Toshiya continued. "An Alpha's ingrained habits, as well as the cultural differences of a foreign mate can be challenging to overcome. You'll need to find a balance between what you can accept in that regard versus what is intolerable and must change for you to be happy."

"I've personally always subscribed to the old saying that a happy Omega equals a happy home. I've never found it to be a false statement in the case of your mother. If something does need to change, you'll likely need to be patient as you help guide and teach him about what you need as an Omega."

"Okay…I can do that," Yuuri murmured thoughtfully.

"Lastly, never forget that you hold a great amount of power in your role as his Omega. No one else can do what you will do for him. You will be able to give him a sense of peace unlike any he's experienced, as well as a strong family when the time comes," His dad smiled softly and squeezed his hand. "You are precious Yuuri, and I have no doubt that Victor will realize it as well. He'll be a better man for having you in his life, of that I'm confident."

 **xxx**

 _*knock knock*_

"Come in," Victor called out as he set aside the reports upon his desk from the branches of his organization. He was not pleased with the news he'd received from his Moscow contacts.

The Feltsman Bratva had interfered overnight with a shipment that was passing through on its way to St. Petersburg. This was the third time in as many months. It appeared that Yakov's protégé, Georgi, had been at the forefront of the effort based on the description of the men involved. The young Alpha had started to come into his own upon receiving an Omega within the last year apparently. Reports were that he was incredibly possessive and kept them under guard within his home at all times, preferring not to show them off as many young Alphas were wont to do. Victor could understand being protective, but this person was essentially a ghost, never stepping foot from their master's domain.

"Do you need anything, boss?" Phichit inquired as he entered. Victor nodded and beckoned him forward.

"Yes, please give this to Chris," He handed his assistant a folder containing the report on the recent activity in Moscow. "He'll know what to do with it."

This was getting out of hand and they needed to find another commercial hub for their shipments to go through. Victor would let Chris deal with the business side of things and he'd unleash Yuri on them in retaliation for such a bold transgression. He knew the young Beta could be ruthless and would seek the most efficient means of sending a message to them. Victor wanted it to be crystal fucking clear to Yakov Feltsman and his little successor that the Nikiforov family was not to be trifled with.

"Got it!" Phichit replied with a smile as he took it from him. "Oh, and I wanted to know which tuxedo you'd like to wear tomorrow night," Victor stared blankly at him for several long seconds before the young man sighed and shook his head.

"You forgot, didn't you?"

"Uh, remind me?" Victor asked hopefully.

"Mariinsky Theatre? Opening night for Swan Lake?"

"Ah, yes, now I remember!" Victor jumped out of his seat and crossed the room with an excited smile on his face. "Yuuri should be happy about this, right? After all, he loves dancing. This will be wonderful."

"Okay, okay, but which tux?" Phichit chuckled. Victor tapped his lips thoughtfully before glancing at his assistant once more.

"What is Yuuri wearing? That will help me choose."

"I hadn't spoken to him yet, but I can select an outfit for you to complement it once I know…if that's alright with you."

"Yes, that sounds perfect. He's up in our room if you'd like to go ask while I finish here. You should be able to help him find something appropriate in there, right?"

"Yes, yes…I made sure he had quite a few formal options to choose from," Phichit assured him. "Do you need anything else from me right now?"

"No, just get that to Chris," Victor turned to face his desk once more where several more folders with reports awaited him. _All part of the job…_

"Got it, boss!" Phichit chirped out as he closed the door behind him.

 **xxx**

Yuuri wore a beaming smile as he said goodbye to his family. He felt more settled and calm than he had since leaving them less than two days before.

"I'll talk to you soon, okay?" Yuuri promised them.

"Yes, just call or email us with a time and day for the Skype chat."

"I will! Bye…" Yuuri was thoughtful as he set the phone back down on the bed. _Email._ _I wonder if Victor would let me have a laptop…_

A soft knocking at the door drew him from his thoughts. He hopped up from the bed, smoothing his clothes out as he hurried toward it. The young Omega nervously cracked it open, unsure who it was or who was even allowed in there besides Victor.

"Hi there! Can I come in?" Yuuri nodded at the Beta and watched curiously as he pulled on a pair of gloves before entering. "I'm here to help you choose something to wear for the ballet tomorrow night."

"The ballet?!" Yuuri grinned and Phichit laughed in reply.

"Yes, and I think that's the reaction Victor was hoping for. He's enjoyed attending ballet and the opera for the last couple of years at the Mariinsky, but when he heard that you enjoyed dancing and had training, he arranged for one of his companies become a donor and received a private box in the deal."

He really did that just because I like ballet? Yuuri picked his jaw up off the floor as Phichit gestured for him to follow. The Beta headed to the walk-in closet and immediately started to go through the rack.

"It's the opening night for Swan Lake, so formal attire is expected, besides…" Phichit glanced over his shoulder and winked. "This will also be a good chance for you to turn Victor into a puddle of Alpha goo. By the time I'm done with you, that man will be on his knees." The Beta appeared downright Machiavellian as his eyes sparkled with mischief.

"What?! I can't…I'm not…" Yuuri blushed brightly and fidgeted at the thought of Victor actually on his knees before him, gazing up with adoration, and-

"You totes _can_ do this. I see the body you're hiding beneath those clothes," Phichit teased. "It's obvious you excelled in your study of dance. After all, you don't get thighs and an ass like that without hard work and dedication."

Yuuri's eyes widened in surprise, quickly looking down at his legs, then in the full-length mirror behind him at his rear as he attempted to find the sexy creature that the Beta was describing. He'd always been shy about his body. The inescapable curves gifted to him by his second gender had been something he bemoaned for so long. To hear another speak so highly of them shattered his perception.

"Hmm, decisions, decisions…" Phichit murmured thoughtfully as he eyed the gowns. Yuuri swallowed hard. He'd never admit it, but he'd always been a little bit in awe of the high-society Omegas in Japan. You'd catch glimpses of them occasionally in town in their elaborate kimonos, but of course, Yuuri never thought he'd have cause to wear such a thing.

His life had been wholly focused on helping at the inn, not playing dress-up. He tentatively took a step forward and reached out to touch the fabric of one of the gowns hanging in front of him. The material was like nothing he'd ever seen or felt before, the tiered layers that made up the lower half of the gown were of several different fabrics, a daring peek of crimson amongst them.

The top layer was made of a fine mesh that draped beautifully across half of a strapless bodice and extended above it to the shoulders in an artful design that allowed cutouts of skin to be on display. A smattering of clear crystals was placed at both the left hip and the top edge of the right half of the bodice. The mesh on the gown continued down the arms, past the wrists into fingerless gloves.

 _Well, at least I probably wouldn't have to wear a collar with one like this._ Yuuri thought as he eyed the band of mesh that created a type of collar at the neck of the garment.

"They're amazing, but I've never worn anything like this before," Yuuri murmured. He was in awe of the colors and textures, the elaborate design of the garments. He glanced nervously at Phichit. "What if I look dumb or trip over the hem or-"

"Calm down, you'll be fine I'm sure. Just tap into that grace and poise you've cultivated from years of dancing," Phichit replied as he grabbed the hanger of the one Yuuri had been looking at and held the black dress up to the Omega's body. "Yes, I think this might be the one…"

"Really?" Yuuri squeaked out as he looked at the gown. _It's so fancy and…er, sexy._ _I'm not sure I can pull this off._ Phichit grinned wickedly and nodded.

"Oh, this is perfect. Victor is going to absolutely die when he sees you in this." He replied gleefully as he set it aside.

"Have you tried on anything else in the closet yet? Is there anything I missed that you need? I admit I was guessing on a lot of this based on what I've seen other Omegas in Russia wear during my time as Victor's assistant. They tend to lean toward a rather extravagant aesthetic around here and I wanted to help you to feel like you fit in, so I just started there. Does that makes sense?"

"Yes, and I appreciate that, Phichit. It's just going to take some getting used to," Yuuri assured him in earnest. _I mean, really, is dressing in beautiful clothes such a hardship?_ _There might be some cultural differences, but I'll work through them._

"I love this because it's comfortable and soft," The Omega gestured to what he was currently wearing. Things like this are more my style than…" Yuuri voice trailed off as he gestured broadly to the gowns and fancy outfits. "But I'm definitely going to make an effort to try new things and adapt."

"I'm really glad to hear that you're staying open-minded and are also willing to speak up about what you do like, Yuuri," Phichit smiled and began to rifle through the lingerie. "Because Victor is a good man, occupation notwithstanding, and I think you'll find him receptive to your needs and wants."

"It's just all so…much and a bit overwhelming. I mean, the special bath products? The concerns around scents? The 'newly improved' security measures he's had installed?" Yuuri sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "It's like he's working off one of those 'How-to' guides for Omegas…"

"Well, you might not be far off on that. I think he's read just about everything he could get his hands on," Phichit turned around with a plea in his gaze.

"Just know that he truly wants you to be happy and he's making an effort on his end too. He just might need a bit of guidance to make sure he knows what will please you just as much as you should know what he needs to be happy."

"You kind of sound like my Dad," Yuuri laughed.

"Smart man. I think I'd like him," Phichit declared as he picked up the dress and made his way over to Victor's side of the closet. The Beta checked the tags on several zipped garment bags before pulling out one of them and coming back for the dress. "I'm getting these steamed to get the wrinkles out, but I'll help you get ready tomorrow night too, okay?"

"Okay," Yuuri murmured in agreement.

"Dinner is in about an hour if you want to take a nap or just relax. I think Victor was buried under some work, but I'm guessing he'll come get you when it's time if you'd like."

"I think I will," Yuuri stifled a yawn. "I'm still a bit jet lagged."

Yuuri laid down on the bed, dimly acknowledging that Phichit had left as he heard the door click shut. He grabbed a pillow and pulled the comforter up over him. The Omega took a deep breath and realized he must have grabbed Victor's pillow by accident. Beneath the covers, Yuuri hid a smile as the wonderful scent of his Alpha filled his senses and lulled him to sleep.


	7. Opening

Yuuri woke an hour or so later and rubbed at his eyes. The room was dim, only the light from the closet to drag him from his stupor. The young man yawned as he sat at the edge of the bed, fumbling around blindly on the sheets until he found his glasses where they'd fallen off during his nap. His stomach released a soft rumble as Yuuri stood and tried to make himself presentable, smoothing his clothes and running his fingers through his hair.

The Omega walked to the windows and pulled back the draperies to glance outside. It was dark already, but the lights scattered throughout the garden illuminated the outlines of the paths, as well as bushes and trees. Yuuri watched curiously as two men strode along with flashlights in dark clothing. One held the leash of a large dog in his other hand, the second man held-

"Is that a…gun?" Yuuri muttered with wide eyes before quickly closing the window coverings, shutting out the sight of what the young man was pretty sure was an AK-47. _Just…stay calm._ _These men are here to keep you and Victor safe._

 _Victor._ The raven-haired male had a sudden inexplicable urge to find the Alpha. He headed out from the room and made his way downstairs. He was proud of himself for making it to at least the entry without getting lost, but now he couldn't recall which of the hallways that branched off from it led to Victor's office.

The Omega wandered down the maze of halls and rooms. He kept expecting to see someone, a guard maybe or even Phichit, so that he could ask for help locating Victor. It wasn't until he'd been traipsing around the house for about 15 minutes that he caught the Alpha's scent.

It grew stronger by the second and was laced with something Yuuri was all too familiar with…panic. Yuuri headed toward it in concern for the other man. It was only moments before he heard the tapping of quick footsteps in his direction and Victor came around the corner ahead of him.

"Thank God," the silver-haired male rushed forward and wrapped him up in his arms, startling the young Omega at first as he held him close. "I was so worried when you weren't in our room."

"It's okay, I'm right here." Yuuri quietly assured him as he instinctively released a calming wave of pheromones and ran his hands along Victor's back in a soothing motion. "I came to find you," Yuuri explained.

"Really?" Victor breathed out, the muscles in his back already relaxing beneath Yuuri's fingertips.

"Yes, really." Yuuri laughed softly and leaned back to look at the other man. _God, he's so handsome._

"I just got a little turned around and forgot where your office was." Victor sighed with relief and pressed his forehead against Yuuri's.

 _He was so scared._ _I wonder if something happened to make him worry._ The young man considered the situation and an idea sparked in his mind.

"Maybe you could get me a phone of my own? Then if you can't find me, you can call me. This house is awfully big after all." Yuuri suggested with a wry smile.

"That's a wonderful idea! Oh, we should get a laptop for you too!" Victor blurted out excitedly. Yuuri was practically vibrating with joy at his words.

"I would love that. I left mine back in Japan..."

"Of course, anything for my Yuuri." Victor declared as he took the younger man's hand with a beaming smile. "Now, should we have dinner?"

"Yes, please!"

 **xxx**

After they finished eating, Victor invited Yuuri to watch a movie in the theater room. He was relieved when the other man agreed, excited to spend more time with him, not to mention keep an eye on him.

He knew he had been acting irrationally earlier, but he hadn't been able to help himself as panic and concern for his precious mate had rushed through him. The Alpha led him downstairs to the room and encouraged Yuuri to select a film while he turned on the screen.

"Is this okay?" Yuuri's hopeful gaze was so sweet, Victor would've agreed to watch just about anything he wanted. He was pleased to see the younger man hand him one of his favorites.

"I love Singin' in the Rain. Perfect!" He assured Yuuri as he popped it in the player and grabbed the remote. "You go ahead and choose where we should sit, okay?"

The Omega examined the cozy, oversized couches thoughtfully before going to the second row of the two levels of raised seating.

"Here, maybe?" He asked as he sat down.

Victor nodded and pushed play to get the movie started. He set the remote on the arm of the couch and went over to a cupboard where he'd placed some plush blankets several days before. He sniffed at them briefly and was relieved they were still untouched, free from any scent.

"Uh, blanket?" He asked as he displayed several he held for Yuuri. The raven-haired male smiled with a hint of amusement in his eyes and pointed at the blue one of the bunch. Victor opened it up and placed it over his legs. As he tucked it closely around Yuuri, the Omega's pheromones filled his senses, an intoxicating hint of attraction from the younger man. He glanced up to see that Yuuri was slightly flushed, breath catching as their eyes met.

 _So beautiful._ Victor swallowed down the urge to utterly ravage the gorgeous Omega next to him as he sat down beside him.

 _He asked to take it slow…so we'll take it slow._ So he reached out to hold the other man's hand instead of attacking him with kisses like he initially felt compelled to do. He was pleased when Yuuri met him half-way, fingers intertwining as he shyly turned his gaze to the screen.

 _He's slowly opening up to me, giving me a chance._ Victor thought with a happy sigh.

"Do you like other musicals as well?" Victor asked curiously. "They're some of my favorites and I own a considerable number, but if you don't see a movie in the collection we can order it."

"I love musicals," Yuuri replied softly, a dreamy quality taking over his expression as he glanced at the screen and smiled. "I've always enjoyed recreating dances that I enjoy most from them in class over the years."

"All of my dance classes were formal training that my mother insisted on to ensure I could present myself well at social gatherings." Victor mused.

"That's a very elaborate way of saying that she literally didn't want you stepping on anyone's toes," Yuuri replied with a brief chuckle.

"Well, it wasn't the most fun I've ever had, but it certainly taught me what I needed to know."

"Maybe you just didn't have the right teacher?" Yuuri asked.

"Are you offering to teach me some moves, moy milyy?" Victor teased, relishing the crimson blush that bloomed on his cheeks. "You're so cute, Yuuri."

"Cute…pfft…" Yuuri responded with a roll of his eyes, even as he tried to hide the hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. "We should watch the movie," he murmured, focusing intently on the screen ahead.

"Of course," The Alpha conceded, simply happy to be so close to his mate, to smell his scent, to feel the side of his body pressed against his own, to hold his hand. He felt calmer and more centered than he'd ever thought possible.

Throughout the film, he could sense Yuuri's body twitching restlessly through the big dance scenes. It wasn't until the last 20 minutes of the film that he noticed the Omega's eyes growing heavy, lids closing for several seconds before they flew open again.

Eventually, they stayed closed as Yuuri's head slid to the side to rest on Victor's shoulder. By the time the credits rolled the younger man was deep asleep. The Alpha allowed himself a small stolen moment as he leaned in closer, cheek resting on raven strands for several long seconds before he placed a kiss atop the other man's head.

 _He's so perfect._ _I'll do anything to make him happy and keep him safe._ He rose from the couch and tucked the blanket closely around Yuuri before lifting the slighter form into his arms. The house was quiet in the evening, a brief nod of acknowledgment for the occasional guard they passed on their way. The security presence helped reaffirm his confidence in their safety as they made their way to their bedroom.

Victor carefully placed Yuuri in their bed and gently slid his glasses off, setting them on the nightstand for safe keeping. His heart skipped a beat as the other man rolled onto his side and latched on to his pillow, snuggling close to it in a way that made the Alpha damn near jealous of it. He couldn't wait until it was him that Yuuri snuggled up against like that.

The older man pulled the blankets and comforter up over his mate once more before changing into his pajama pants and grabbing one of the extra bed pillows to replace the one Yuuri had taken for a body pillow. As he climbed into the other side of the bed and lay down, he found himself spellbound by the sleeping beauty next to him.

 _Yuuri…you're everything I could've hoped to find and I can't wait to know more about you._ The Alpha reached to his nightstand to turn off the light, plunging the room into darkness. But he knew he was not alone. He knew Yuuri was safe as the rhythmic sound of the Omega's breaths and the soothing scent of his body lulled Victor to sleep.


	8. Control

Yuuri dreamed.

Of hands on his body…

Of heat between his thighs…

Of lips upon his neck…

The Omega let out a soft sigh as the sensations of his lover's touch brought him pleasure, made his body sing for him.

 _Victor…_

Yuuri breathed out as he ran his fingers through messy silver strands and gazed up at his smiling mate.

 _So beautiful._ _My Yuuri…_ The other man's voice rumbled through his body, evoking a near-primal urge within the younger male.

 _Feels so good…smells so good…_

The younger man buried his face against the Alpha's throat as they rolled on their sides facing one another. He laid kisses along the pale column of skin as Victor ran a hand down his body, fingertips dancing along the underside of Yuuri's thigh before hitching the leg up over his own.

Yuuri let out a low moan, rolling his hips to try and relieve some of the fire pooling in his groin.

"Victor…"

The Omega opened his eyes as he spoke the other man's name aloud, looking around in dazed confusion. It took him several long moments to adapt to the gray morning rays that dimly lit their bedroom. He felt Victor's arm around his waist and carefully rolled over to avoid disturbing him.

 _I must have fallen asleep at the end of the movie._ Yuuri's heart skipped a beat at the sight of the Alpha sleeping beside him.

 _He really is unfairly attractive._ Yuuri mused as he gently brushed a strand of hair away from his face.

 _And he's mine._

Yuuri's earlier spark of desire flared once more. The memories of his illicit dreams still hovered just beneath the surface, ready to break free. He let out a shuddering sigh as he gave in to the relatively innocent urge to card his fingers through Victor's hair again.

"Yuuri…" The older man murmured as he leaned into his touch. The heady scent of the Alpha's arousal filled the air and Yuuri paused in his ministrations, concerned that he'd woken him. It quickly became clear that Victor was still sleeping, his breathing even and steady in the quiet room.

The Omega smiled and dared to hope that the other man was dreaming of him like he had of the Alpha. Yuuri turned back around and nestled deeper into Victor's arms, letting out a happy sigh as the warmth of his body settled him to sleep.

 **xxx**

Victor awoke to find Yuuri pressed tightly against his body. He'd turned at some point in his slumber to face him with his head tucked up under Victor's chin and their legs tangled with one another. The raven-haired male's smaller frame was a perfect fit within the safety of his embrace. Victor absently ran his fingers along the younger man's back, soaking in Yuuri's presence.

This morning, Yuuri's scent was somehow more intoxicating, growing even more delectable overnight. The honey notes in his fragrance were slightly dominating the lavender and the Alpha found himself licking his lips as a pulse of desire rushed through him. He grit his teeth and resisted the urge to rut his hips against the slender thigh pressed between his own.

"Victor…" Yuuri whispered, stirring slightly as he rubbed his cheek against the older man's skin and took a deep breath before settling again. The silver-haired male was frozen in surprise for several seconds before a grin spread across his face in realization that his sweet Yuuri was dreaming of him.

 _Oh, my Yuuri._ _I dreamed of you too…_

The younger man fussed again a short time later and let out a soft yawn. Victor could tell the moment Yuuri had truly woken when he stiffened in surprise at how closely they were entwined with one another. The Omega leaned back to meet Victor's amused gaze with a rosy blush on his face, raven hair an adorably tousled mess.

"Good morning," Victor murmured.

"Morning…" Yuuri mumbled shyly, relaxing in Victor's arms as the Alpha started to run his fingers along his back once more. He was rewarded with a pleased hum of approval and a spike of honey in the air. Victor felt a near overwhelming need to scent mark him again.

"Yuuri? Would you mind if I scented you…like l-last night?" Victor couldn't prevent the tremor in his voice as he grew weak for the sticky, sweet aroma that drew him in like a siren's song.

"Uh-huh," Yuuri nodded, letting out a soft, little moan as he ran his hands through Victor's hair and guided his lips to his throat.

The sounds his mate made.

The way he touched him.

As if that wasn't enough to drive the Alpha mad with want, he felt the not so subtle hitch of Yuuri's hips against his leg. Victor growled lowly, dragging the tip of his nose along the tempting column of Yuuri's neck as he breathed him in.

"Please…" The Omega begged, fingers curling in Victor's silver strands.

"Yuuri."

The Alpha woke suddenly and it took a few seconds for him to realize it had all been a dream. Well, some of it was. Yuuri _was_ still in his arms, but he was facing away from him. Victor bit back a groan at the feeling of Yuuri's ass pressed against his throbbing erection. The younger man yawned, rubbing his eyes before finally opening them. Yuuri sleepily glanced over his shoulder and yawned again.

"Good morning," Victor smiled and reached for Yuuri's glasses from the nightstand. The Omega smiled shyly at him and took them from him.

"Thank you…and good morning," Yuuri replied, the same honeyed scent from Victor's dreams permeated the air.

At least some things were like his dream and Victor could only hope that more of what he recalled would soon become a reality.

 **xxx**

"Probably won't even fit in my outfit now," Yuuri grumbled as he made his way up to the bedroom after lunch. He couldn't help it really. The food was so good and Victor kept being all cute and feeding him bites from his own plate. He'd still finished his own meal as well. It didn't help that Yuuri had always been a bit of a nervous eater and he'd felt on edge all day.

His dreams from the night before had served to foster an unrelieved lust in his body. Yuuri sighed and strode to the bathroom, hoping a bath would relax him before he had to get dressed. His gaze wandered to the shower and he couldn't help the thoughts that flitted through his mind, imagining Victor pressing him up against the wall as the water beat down on them, rolling his hips against his ass, sliding his cock between his cheeks and brushing against Yuuri's entrance with every-

Yuuri gasped as he realized he was panting and half-hard, standing in the center of the bathroom for god only knows how long. He swallowed down a needy whine as he vividly remembered the feeling of Victor's thick length against his back when he'd woken up that morning.

"Get it together!" Yuuri chastised himself, scowling as he hurried over to turn on the water, putting some bubble bath in. He attempted to distract himself while he waited for it to fill, gathering a clean robe and towels before returning. He quickly rinsed off in the shower and by then it was ready.

The Omega slid into the bubble bath and tried to relax against the pillow like he had the day before, but it was no use. He looked around nervously, even though he knew he was alone, before slipping his hand lower under the water, trailing down his body until he reached his swiftly growing erection.

Yuuri let out a low moan, eyes sliding closed as he began to stroke himself. The young man imagined it was Victor's hand taking him in his grip, whispering sweet words in his ear. He slid his other hand further down between his legs, teasingly rubbing a wet finger against his hole, circling the puckered rim.

"Hngh…" Yuuri groaned, head falling to the side as his arousal grew and he slid the tip of his finger inside. "Victor…" He whispered, licking his lips as he pressed deeper, pretending it was the Alpha's fingers.

 _God, I want him._ _I know we just met, but…I do._ _Is that wrong?_ _I just can't help it._ Yuuri shuddered as he added a second finger and felt the passage of them eased by the slick that was being produced. _I've never felt like this about anyone before…_

 ** _*knock knock…creak*_**

Yuuri gasped in surprise, yanking his fingers from the grip of his slick channel and sitting up straight, a guilty expression on his face as his eyes snapped to the doorway.

"Yuuri, c-can I come in?" The Alpha's voice was strained as he called out to the younger man from the other side. Yuuri's mind was going wild as the scent of his mate hit him in response to the Omega's own. Yuuri opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a needy whine. Victor immediately flung open the door, concern warring with the undeniable lust in his eyes as he took in the sight of Yuuri, cheeks flushed as he peered at him from the tub. Victor closed the door and slowly approached him, stopping about halfway across the room with an air of indecision.

"I want to be near you right now, Yuuri…touch you…but I'm not sure I can control myself when you smell so damn good." Victor's hands clenched into fists, gaze on the floor as he so clearly fought to restrain himself. Yuuri swallowed hard at the admission and dug deep to find his courage to reply honestly.

"W-what if I don't want you to control yourself?" Yuuri breathed out. Victor's eyes shot up to meet his own, searching Yuuri's for any sign of reluctance or uncertainty. The Omega knew he would find none.

He may have been letting instinct guide him, but it was not his master. Yuuri _wanted_ Victor too, needed his touch on his skin, hands on his body, lips molded to his own. As Victor came closer, he removed his clothing, slowly, as if waiting for Yuuri to change his mind with every step. But all the younger man could do was watch in awe as bit by bit of Victor's sculpted body was revealed. Yuuri couldn't help but think that the man was an Adonis in the flesh.

"Are you sure? We don't have to do anything you don't want to, okay?" Victor assured him, hands resting at the waistband of his obviously tented underwear. Yuuri nodded and watched as the last bit of covering was removed. His eyes widened, face turning crimson. It was one thing to feel it pressed against him, quite another to actually _see_ it. Yuuri couldn't tear his eyes away from the other man as he climbed into the tub.

They stared at each other for nearly a minute from opposite sides of the bath before Victor tentatively reached with a hopeful smile on his face, beckoning for Yuuri to come closer. The Omega floated through the water toward him, taking his hand as he was drawn closer to straddle Victor's muscular thighs. Yuuri's breath came out in a rush as he felt their hard lengths brush against one another. The Alpha's other hand cupped his heated face as he leaned in to kiss him. With that small gesture, any remaining tension in Yuuri's body evaporated like the steam rising from the water.

"You're so beautiful," Victor murmured, gaze appreciative as his hand slid downward along Yuuri's throat, thumb circling purposefully against his scent gland. The raven-haired male moaned at the feeling, eyes closing as his head fell back.

"So responsive, too," Victor whispered, leaning forward to kiss along Yuuri's neck, his hand slipping further south on the Omega's body, fingers teasing at one of his pert little nipples. Victor gave it a quick tug and Yuuri felt a sharp spike of pleasure through his body.

The younger man's entire world was suddenly focused entirely on the need to satisfy the throbbing ache in his groin. Yuuri's eyes fluttered open with a gasp as he felt Victor's hand wrap around both of their rigid erections to stroke them together.

"V-Victor…" Yuuri leaned in to seek a kiss from the Alpha, greedily capturing his mouth and tugging on his bottom lip.

"You're so perfect," Victor growled out as his other hand slipped between Yuuri's cheeks to rub at his furled entrance.

"I can't wait to be inside you," He muttered as he slid the tip of his finger inside. "God, you're so tight and wet for me." Yuuri moaned as Victor's finger pressed in knuckle deep and he increased his pace, pumping both of their lengths rapidly as they danced on the edge of release.

Yuuri looked at Victor with a half-lidded gaze. The Alpha's azure eyes were nearly black, pupils blown out with lust.

 _Mine…_

Yuuri let out a strangled cry, back bowing as he came hard, clenching and pulsing around Victor's finger as he rode it out. His jaw dropped open as his body shuddered with the force of his orgasm. Yuuri came back to himself just in time to watch the Alpha's brow furrow, gasping out the Omega's name like a prayer as he climaxed.

"Yuuri…"

The younger man thought it might have been the hottest thing he'd ever witnessed, seeing this powerful Alpha fall apart so beautifully. Their satisfied panting filled the room as Victor slipped his finger from Yuuri's body and wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. They rested their heads on one another's shoulders and Yuuri let out a happy sigh, enjoying the moment of closeness and basking in his Alpha's embrace.


	9. Falling

Yuuri couldn't meet his mate's gaze when they finally came back to their senses, his face was flushed and bright from the mere proximity of the man. The feelings he had pulled to the surface were intense and overwhelming, something the Omega had never felt before.

 _Is this what falling in love feels like?_ Yuuri wondered as he found the courage to shyly peek at the Alpha.

 _*it's the eye of the tiger it's the thrill of the fight…*_

Victor groaned as the ringtone blared out from his phone. Yuuri couldn't help but smile as Victor shot him an apologetic gaze and reached over the edge of the tub to retrieve the phone from his clothing.

"I'm sorry, I should probably take this. It's Yurio." The Alpha rolled his eyes and Yuuri just shrugged in understanding. He knew that his mate had a lot on his shoulders and the Omega was sure that there would be other times in the future where work would be a priority over…whatever it was they were doing at the moment. Yuuri gestured toward the shower and Victor nodded in understanding as Yuuri grabbed a towel, trying to regain some of his discarded modesty as he rose from the tub. He knew it was silly to feel shy after what they'd just done, but he couldn't stop himself.

"Yes?" Victor answered in a cold, clipped manner that was so unlike the warmth he had heard only minutes ago. Yuuri was startled at the sudden change in demeanor. He hurried to the shower to rinse off, eager to distance himself from whatever his mate was dealing with that made him behave in such a way. He was relieved when the sound of the water in the shower managed to drown out Victor's unfamiliar tone of voice.

He swiftly washed his hair and body, making record time, and wrapping a towel around himself as Victor finished his call. Yuuri gave him a tight smile, not wanting to interrupt whatever was going on as he headed for the bedroom.

"I'm just gonna…go…get dressed…uh…" Yuuri's eyes widened as the Alpha started to rise from the water, letting out an embarrassing squeak as he turned again to hurry out the door. He fanned his face upon exiting and made his way to the closet.

 _He's so hot._ _It's not fair that he's so hot._ _I can't even think straight when I see him like that._

 **xxx**

Victor sighed, pouting slightly as his mate scampered from the bathroom. He'd hoped to help Yuuri rinse off, but that would have to wait for another day he supposed as he climbed from the tub and began his own shower. He couldn't help but smile as he took a deep breath of the Omega's lingering scent, heavy in the warm air that filled the room. He felt his whole body relax as he reluctantly rinsed off his body. There was a primal part of him that wanted to smell of sex and Yuuri. He wanted to rub the scent of him into his skin and carry it everywhere.

Of course, he knew that was unacceptable behavior given that they were going to the ballet that evening. He didn't think that the younger man would appreciate such an obvious display of their bath time activities for all the other attendees of the performance that night. The Alpha turned off the water and quickly dried off before grabbing his phone once more and tossing the dirty clothes and towels into the hamper.

 _*ping*_

Victor glanced at his phone and read the new message from Yuri.

 **Tiger:** _they know_

The Alpha smiled with satisfaction. Yuri had been calling earlier to report that the man's body had been found in the early morning on the beach and that he was waiting for their informant within the rival organization to confirm they'd been told of the discovery.

 _That's what you get for trying to come near what's mine, for trying to hurt the ones I love._ Victor's gaze narrowed and he tossed the phone aside on the bed before heading the closet to get dressed. The door opened suddenly and he halted in surprise as Phichit shoved a garment bag at him, along with socks and underwear.

"Wha-"

"Don't you want to be surprised?" Phichit teased as he started to close the door, shooing him away. "I'll make him look fabulous, trust me." The Alpha huffed as he was shut out, turning back toward the bed to get his clothes out.

"He doesn't need you to make him fabulous, Phichit." Victor murmured to himself as he began to dress, a grin on his face. "He's amazing all on his own."

 **xxx**

Yuuri looked in the mirror and fidgeted nervously at the sight of himself in the gown. Phichit had chosen well and it fit him perfectly. His earlier concerns that his large lunch would have an effect on the fit of the dress were unfounded. He ran his hands along his hair, fixing a few errant strands that had escaped from the smoothed back style when he'd put on the outfit.

The young man felt his patience waning as Phichit continued to fuss with his dress, smoothing the folds and layers of the skirt with gloved hands. Eventually, he stood back, examining him with a critical eye before nodding to himself, apparently satisfied.

"I think the opaque tights were the right choice. It will help keep you warm and it blends well with the look." Phichit murmured as he circled him. Yuuri squirmed, blushing slightly as he was reminded of the thigh-high black tights that attached to a lacy garter belt and panties beneath his dress. He'd never worn anything so soft and ridiculously expensive as the undergarments Phichit had helped him select. The Thai Beta's gaze trailed upward and he nibbled briefly on his thumb with an expression of uncertainty before turning back to the drawers.

"I'm not sure if you need to wear a collar or cuffs with this, considering both areas are covered with fabric. However, Victor might want to simply because you aren't marked yet." Phichit gave him a tight smile over his shoulder, thinly veiled concern in his eyes. "It may soothe his possessive instincts if we at least protect your throat a bit more. It's not uncommon for even the most well-tempered Alphas to fly into a rage if someone touches their Omega's scent glands, bonded or not."

"Yeah, uh, that wouldn't be good," Yuuri replied with wide eyes as they made their way to the jewelry drawer. It was easy to forget that the jewels weren't simply to act as a symbol of ownership, they were to keep him safe from other Alphas who may try to-

"How about you pick out something while I get your shoes." Phichit gave him a reassuring pat on his shoulder as turned to a different section of the wardrobe. "Are you comfortable in heels?"

"Sure." Yuuri shrugged as he began to examine the glittering jewels before him _._ _I still can't believe how much there is, but Victor did say this was several generation's worth of Nikiforov family heirlooms_.

 _My family now too._ Yuuri thought with a soft smile. He didn't feel quite so alone in this new environment when he considered it like that. The young man finally decided on a ruby and diamond collar with matching cuffs and turned to Phichit again.

"Are these okay? I think they'll look nice with the red in the skirt." Yuuri held them out to show the other man, who nodded his approval.

"Perfect. Don't forget to grab the key from the necklace box. It should work for all three pieces since they're a matching set." Phichit replied as he held up a pair of three-inch closed-toe black velvet heels with red soles. "Not too high?"

"No, those are fine." The Beta set them on the floor before him and Yuuri slipped them on, making sure they fit properly. He greatly appreciated the simplicity of them compared to the rest of his clothing. They blended in with the opaque tights to create a long unbroken line of black from his toes up along his leg where it peeked from the slit in the front of the dress.

"Oh my God, you look so good!" Phichit squealed, clapping his hands excitedly. "Let me just get you a coat…"

Yuuri chuckled at his enthusiasm and grabbed the key from the jewelry drawer before heading out to the bedroom. He couldn't deny that he felt confident and beautiful in what he was wearing…sexy even. The Omega opened the door to the closet with a smile. I can't wait to see Victor's reacti-

"Yuuri…" The Alpha breathed out, eyes wide as they raked over him from head to toe. Yuuri was equally stunned as he took in the sight of his mate in his tuxedo. The clothing fit him like a glove, tailored to show off his tall sculpted body perfectly. Yuuri wasn't sure how long they stood there staring at each other until they were finally snapped out of their daze by a not-so-subtle cough behind him.

"Ahem," Phichit grinned as he looked at them before setting two coats on the bed along with Victor's shoes. "Tickets are in your coat pocket, Victor, and Otabek is ready to head out any time you are. You'll need to leave within the next 20 or 30 minutes or you'll be late." he warned as he made his way to the bedroom door and left them alone. Yuuri swallowed hard and moved forward to hand Victor the jewels he planned to wear.

"Are these okay?" Yuuri murmured as he set them on the bed to show the Alpha. Victor smiled and nodded.

"They'll look beautiful on you," Victor replied with a pleased smile. The Alpha started with the cuffs, lifting Yuuri's wrist to his mouth to place a kiss upon the gland there through the thin mesh sleeves. Yuuri's breath hitched, a wave of warmth rushing through him as his scent grew stronger with arousal. Victor's gaze shifted to meet his own as his lips pulled away, azure eyes darkening with lust at the Omega's reaction.

"We won't make it to the ballet if you keep that up moy milyy," Victor whispered playfully as he wrapped the cuff bracelet in place and locked it before moving on to the other arm to repeat the process. Yuuri bit back a moan as he kissed his other wrist as well and then put on the cuff.

Skipping the ballet was looking like a fantastic option in Yuuri's opinion as Victor picked up the collar and moved around behind him. Yuuri's eyes fluttered closed as his mate's lips brushed against the scent glands at his throat as well.

 _Feels so good when he touches me._

The younger man opened his eyes as the lock clicked into place and smiled, because at that moment he no longer saw the jewels he was wearing as something to restrict or possess him but to protect and adorn him. Yuuri knew that with another Alpha who was less thoughtful and understanding he might not have felt the same way, but with Victor, he found it easy and natural to open himself up to a new way of thinking.

 _This is what falling in love feels like…_


	10. Pas de Deux

Pas de Deux

1: a dance or figure for two performers

2: an intricate relationship or activity involving two parties or things

* * *

The Mariinsky Theatre was a stunning sight lit up at night. A perfectly majestic setting for an evening at the ballet. Yuuri was a bit in awe as he stepped from the car, but snapped out of his daze as a frigid breeze washed over him. He leaned closer to Victor for warmth as the Alpha took his arm and escorted him forward into the building. He tried to ignore Victor's bodyguards as they exited from the car that followed them there, tried to pretend that they were just shadows, that it was just the two of them enjoying a night out together.

 _At least I'm not overdressed._ Yuuri took in the sight of Saint Petersburg's upper class in their finery. At first glance, he saw at least a handful of other Omegas on the arms of their Alphas, collars and cuffs in place as they stood by their mate's sides. _Maybe it really is a cultural norm here in Russia._

"Let me help you out of that," Victor murmured stopping briefly on their way to the elevators. He turned to Yuuri and grasped the lapels of his coat, sliding it away and handing it to one of their shadows along with his own. The silver-haired Alpha leaned in and kissed him on the cheek as he took his arm again. Yuuri could feel people's eyes on them, watching them. He briefly glanced down at his clothing as they entered the elevator and rose to the box level, making sure that there was nothing wrong with them.

 _Huh, everything looks fine._ Yuuri's brow furrowed, a small frown on his face as he puzzled through it. He was brought back to the present as he felt Victor's thumb brush along his lower lip.

"What has put this expression on your face, moy milyy?" Victor smiled down at him and Yuuri's breath caught, still unused to looking at this gorgeous man up close, smelling him, wanting him…

"Should I kiss it away?" Victor asked softly as he took Yuuri's hand and guided him from the elevator. The Omega nodded without thinking, blushing and covering his face with his free hand as he realized what he'd agreed to. Victor chuckled in response and squeezed his hand.

"You're so cute, Yuuri," he whispered, gently prying the hand away from Yuuri's face so he could lean in to kiss the younger man. He then reached into his pocket and handed Yuuri his glasses. "I figured you'd need these?"

"Thank you," Yuuri smiled gratefully and put them on. He didn't want to miss a second of the performance.

When they arrived at their level, his mate proceeded to lead him to their box. Yuuri's jaw dropped at the sight, all concerns and embarrassed thoughts were forgotten as he gazed out at the swiftly filling theatre below. The raven-haired male barely registered being guided to his seat. It took Victor sitting down beside him and handing him a flute of champagne to draw him back again.

"To many more nights at the ballet." Victor murmured as he clinked his glass against Yuuri's. The Omega beamed and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, many more," he replied before taking a sip. The young man felt a warmth rush through him as the bubbly drink settled in his stomach. Yuuri boldly leaned toward his husband, seeking a kiss. He wasn't left wanting as Victor's alcohol-laced tongue traced his lower lip and their mouths slotted together perfectly. Yuuri wasn't sure how long they were kissing, but the house lights were dimming before he knew it.

"I want you so much…" Victor whispered against the shell of his ear. Yuuri found himself nodding once again in agreement as he bit back a moan, words caught in his throat as the first strains of music filled the air and they turned their attention to the stage.

 **xxx**

They may have been at the ballet, but Victor was too captivated with the sight of his mate beside him to pay much attention. Yuuri was enthralled, shifting in his seat occasionally as certain dances were performed. The soft, pleased smiles that often spread across Yuuri's face filled Victor with joy. The Omega looked to him as they reached the intermission and took his hand.

"Thank you so much for this…" Yuuri's words were laden with gratitude. Victor nodded as the contented scent of his Omega grew stronger, lavender and honey filling the air. He couldn't resist stealing a kiss in the quiet moment they found themselves in.

 _Was the scent of honey always this strong?_ He wondered as their lips molded to one another. He'd thought upon first meeting that the lavender was dominant to the sweet, honey fragrance that was becoming more potent by the second. The aroma was tantalizing, feeding a growing lust inside him. As he pulled away, he found himself breathless with an overpowering desire for his mate.

 _Wow, get it together Nikiforov._ He released a shuddering breath as he tried to calm himself. The Alpha's eyes widened as he looked at Yuuri once again and noticed how pink his cheeks had become, that his pupils were dilated and that there was a dewy sheen of perspiration on his skin. He knew that the younger man hadn't been drinking enough to inspire such a reaction, so that meant…

 _He's going into heat!?_ Victor cursed under his breath and looked back to the guard stationed at the door.

"Ivan?"

"Yes, sir?" The Beta asked as he turned. Victor felt guilty that he was pulling Yuuri away from the ballet he was so enjoying, but he knew if they stayed they could end up with a riot on their hands.

An unclaimed Omega in heat would drive any unmated Alpha that picked up their scent to attempt to take them for their own. Fortunately, Yuuri still appeared to be in pre-heat, so they'd likely be able to make a quick exit with little issue. Still, he was glad he'd brought all Beta guards with him for the evening. They would not be driven to such base reactions as Alphas would in the situation they found themselves in. Even now, Victor was finding it difficult not to-

"Have the car brought around to the alternate exit point we discussed this afternoon," Victor replied in Russian, not wanting to upset or worry the younger man at all.

"My Yuuri is going into heat. If you would please call Phichit and let him know what is happening, he'll know what to do so the manor is ready for us." Ivan nodded and went to inform the other guards as Victor turned to Yuuri. The older man's expression was already apologetic in anticipation of what he'd have to tell him.

"Yuuri, we need to leave darling. You're in pre-heat and I need to get you home where it's safe, but I promise we'll come back to the ballet as often as you like, okay?"

"Huh? I'm not…" Yuuri's voice trailed off as he felt his forehead and his fingers came away damp.

"Oh…" Yuuri looked down at the sea of people below nervously and nodded in agreement, quickly rising from his seat to take Victor's hand. Yuuri took one final disappointed glance behind him at the currently quiet stage before allowing himself to be escorted from the box.

"Lead the way, Ivan," Victor ordered, eyes instinctively scanning the hall for threats to his mate as they headed away from the main entrance. There was no way he could chance taking Yuuri through the crowd that surely filled the lobby at that point. His guards surrounded them protectively as they made their way, one on each side and another bringing up the rear as they followed Ivan to a back stairwell. When they finally reached the exit, Ivan hurried forward into the alley to open the car door for them.

 _I'll have to send them back later for our jackets._ Victor thought as Yuuri burrowed closely against him in the chill of the night before they were able to slide into the car. As soon as the door closed, Otabek began to drive and the Alpha knew he could relax somewhat, putting up the partition to give them some privacy. The scent was growing even stronger in the enclosed space of the car and Victor felt himself getting hard again now that they were alone.

"Yuuri, are you feeling- Mmph!" The Alpha's eyes went wide in surprise as his mate scrambled into his lap and began to kiss him.

"Victor…" Yuuri breathed out as he laid a trail of kisses along the other man's throat. His mind was growing cloudy as the Omega's pheromones incited a burning lust through his body. He knew it wouldn't be long before Yuuri's heat fully hit and he wanted to…

"Yuuri…d-did you mean it earlier?" Victor finally managed to stutter out as the raven-haired male's teeth grazed his scent gland. "That you want me too? Because I really, really want you and-"

"Yes!" The younger man leaned back suddenly, eyes bright and feverish with desire as he smiled and nodded eagerly.

"I-I want you," Yuuri whispered shyly as he ran his fingers through Victor's hair, drawing closer once more to brush his lips against the older man's. "I never thought I would feel this way…about anyone."

Victor sighed in relief. He'd never want to force himself on the Omega or make him regret their decision to mate. No matter how heartless and cutthroat he had to be with others in his life, he could never treat the beautiful man in his arms that way.

"I promise I'll take such good care of you, moy milyy," Victor assured Yuuri as the Omega nuzzled his throat again, breathing deeply of his scent. "Just hold on a little longer until we can get home, okay?"

"Okay. I-I can do that. It doesn't…it doesn't hurt yet." Yuuri shivered in his arms and rubbed a rosy cheek against his jaw.

"Good, let me know if it starts to." Victor murmured, running his hands soothingly along Yuuri's back. The Omega began to purr softly in response, snuggling impossibly closer. The sound made Victor smile. It was a sign that Yuuri felt safe and comfortable with him…trusted him.

 _I'll never betray that trust, Yuuri._

 **xxx**

 _Too hot…_ Yuuri thought dazedly. The scent of evergreen trees and clove washed over him in a calming breeze. He shifted in Victor's lap, sighing with relief as the fabric of the gown's skirt fell further to the sides, exposing his legs to the cool air.

One of the arms around him drew away and he jolted slightly as a hand came to rest on his inner thigh just above his black stockings. He moaned quietly as a finger slipped beneath the garter attached to it, sliding back and forth.

"These are very sexy…what else are you hiding under here?" Victor murmured lowly in his ear, sending a shiver through his body. Yuuri hitched his hips needily as the Alpha's thumb began to move in a circular motion against the sensitive skin, moving higher and higher, until he brushed against the black panties the younger man wore. Victor let out a pleased hum as he began to stroke Yuuri through the silky material and felt the dampness of pre-come that was spreading across the front of them.

"I need you…V-Victor…"

"Soon. We're almost home."

Yuuri wanted to sob because it felt so good when his mate touched him. It was so much better than his own hands and he wanted more. His hole was starting to ache with the need to be filled; his entrance twitching as the first trickles of slick escaped. Victor's hand froze between his legs as he took a deep breath of the scent and let out a groan.

"Victor…i-it hurts…" he whispered, mouthing at the Alpha's throat in desperation.

"Shh, it's going to be okay. I'll see if I can help take the edge off a bit," Victor replied as he gently pushed the Omega's panties aside and slipped his hand between Yuuri's slick drenched cheeks. His eyes rolled back in his head as Victor slid a finger inside, immediately relieving a bit of the gnawing hunger that pooled in his groin.

"Do you want more?" The Alpha's voice was breathy, strained. Yuuri nodded rapidly as his mind slipped into a space where the overwhelming _need_ within him was all that mattered. As a second long finger joined the first he instinctively rolled his hips.

"That's it," Victor growled. "Show me what you want, Yuuri."

"Ah-hnnh…" The younger man's breath came out in short, panting gasps as he rocked back onto his mate's fingers. Victor's other hand began to stroke his rigid length again, pushing him closer and closer to completion.

"I-I'm…I'm gonna…come…" He barely managed to gasp before his body seized up with his release. Yuuri cried out as his hands clutched at the fabric of Victor's jacket, trying to anchor himself as waves of pleasure washed over him. His orgasm seemed to go on forever, body convulsing and shuddering in the other man's lap.

As he started to come down from the intensity of his climax, he experienced a blessed few moments of reprieve from the lust that had been running rampant through him. However, it didn't take long for his body to recognize that he wasn't knotted, that he wasn't full of his mate's come, that he wasn't satisfied, that he needed…

It was like a switch flipping within his consciousness as his inner Omega took control. It felt similar to the few times he'd been drunk in his life. Everything was hazy, his inhibitions had disintegrated and there was no filter to his thoughts. He leaned back to give the Alpha a lopsided grin.

"More?"


	11. Preconceived Notions

**A/N:** Here, have some smut! :)

* * *

"Mr. Nikiforov? We've arrived." Otabek's voice came suddenly from the car's speakers, distracting the Alpha from the wonderful sensation of his mate grinding his hips in his lap.

"O-Okay…" Victor swallowed hard, mouth dry from the panting breaths that Yuuri continued to elicit from him. It was all he could do to control himself, to keep from flipping Yuuri onto his back on the leather seat so he could just sink into-

"Phichit asked me to tell you he's moved everyone to the lower level of the house. You should have a clear path to the heat room."

Yuuri whined needily, teeth nipping at Victor scent gland. The older man felt something inside him snap, like he was a string that the Omega had pulled taut, testing his resistance for the entire drive home. He snarled and threw open the door, intent on getting Yuuri to the heat room as quickly as possible. He was surprised when Yuuri resisted, wrapped around him like a clinging vine and seemingly unwilling to let Victor free for those precious seconds it would take for them to exit the vehicle.

"Yuuri…" Victor growled lowly and instinctively released a wave of dominant pheromones to instill submission in the Omega, to pull him back slightly from the brink of lust. "I can't fuck you here. You want me to fuck you, right?"

The young man leaned back to look at him with some semblance of coherency in his cinnamon-hued eyes and nodded.

"Please…Victor…" he whimpered.

His mate's plea spurred him to action. Victor moved quickly to extricate both of them from the car, sweeping a shivering Yuuri into his arms and holding him close as he hurried up the front steps and into the house.

The usual guards or employees that they might've seen milling about were nowhere to be found as they entered. Of course, Victor probably wouldn't have noticed if there was a full-blown party being thrown in the entryway. All he could think about was getting his mate to the heat room. He moved swiftly up the stairs and down the hall. The doorway to the room was already open for them and as they entered the cozy, dimly lit space meant to emulate an Omega's den, Yuuri seemed to calm a bit as he looked around. Victor gently set him down on the cushioned floor amongst the piles of blankets and pillows scattered around the entire space.

The Alpha turned to close the door, locking the three deadbolts and sliding the metal bar into place on the steel door. The room was sound and scent proof, but Victor wasn't taking a chance. Not only for his mate's safety but for those still in the house. He knew without a doubt that he would kill anyone who tried to enter the heat room and he'd prefer to avoid that unfortunate scenario.

"Hngh…"

Victor swiftly returned to his mate who was deliriously tugging at his collar and whining in distress. The Alpha grabbed his hands and pulled them away to keep the young man from continuing to scratch red, angry lines into his skin.

"Shh, it's okay," Victor soothed as he reached into his pocket for the key to unlock the jewelry. He rolled the less than cooperative Omega over onto his belly so he could reach the lock at the back of the collar. Yuuri went still, mouth open and panting as he allowed Victor to remove the cuffs as well.

"Need you…need…please…" Yuuri begged as Victor finished unfastening them and set them aside. The raven-haired male raised his hips invitingly and the last barrier separating Victor from his animalistic instinct to take and mate and breed his husband broke down.

 _Yes, mine…_

 _Mine…mine…mine…_

 _My Yuuri…_

Victor had little regard for the fine clothing they wore as it practically disintegrated in his hands, torn and ripped off both of their bodies in a frenzy. Victor relished the feeling of Yuuri's soft, feverish skin against his own. The scent of arousal was thick and heavy in the air as Victor positioned himself behind Yuuri, running a hand up the slender Omega's back as he pressed his upper body back down to the floor.

The Alpha grasped Yuuri's hips and pulled them up higher. His fingers squeezed and massaged the younger man's pert, bouncy cheeks, spreading them slightly so he could slide his cock back and forth between the slick drenched globes.

"You're so wet," Victor groaned as he breathed in a lungful of Yuuri's sweet scent. The calming traces of lavender were overpowered by the tantalizing honey aroma that was undoubtedly meant to drive him mad with desire. A high-pitched whine from his mate drew him back from the fog of lust clouding his mind. Yuuri was making it clear that he needed more and Victor was happy to give it to him.

"It's okay, shh. I'll take care of you, moya lyubov," Victor murmured as he slid two fingers into the twitching hole before him. He was relieved to find Yuuri still fairly open from their activities on the way home and it wasn't long before he was able to slip a third finger in. The Omega tensed slightly at the added stretch but quickly relaxed with a happy sigh as his body adjusted. Victor could barely handle the sight before him as he plunged his fingers inside repeatedly and fragrant slick spilled out to coat his hand and Yuuri's inner thighs.

"Vic…tor…"

The Alpha removed his fingers, much to Yuuri's dismay and fought the urge to just take the other man without delay. He felt a desperate need to see his face for their first time together, to feel his lips upon his own. Victor gently rolled the heat-dazed Omega over and settled between his thighs. Yuuri's breath caught as their eyes met, legs eagerly wrapping around him and pulling him closer to ask for what he wanted without words.

Victor leaned forward to hover above Yuuri, forearms resting on either side of his head. Yuuri reached for him to close the remaining distance, threading his fingers in silver strands to drag him down for a kiss.

"Please…hngh…I want you…" Yuuri gasped out shakily as he spread his legs wider, encouraging the other man to take what was offered. Victor nodded and kissed him deeply as he guided his cock into Yuuri's tight, wet heat.

"Oh, God. You feel so good, Yuuri." Victor groaned as he continued to press deeper, velvet walls hugging his cock so perfectly, pulsing around him. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah…just so…nhh…it's so much and I…" Yuuri's voice trailed off with a moan as his hands slid along Victor's back, fingers digging in with a soft cry as the Alpha bottomed out inside him.

"Shh, my Yuuri. It's okay," Victor murmured as he quickly grasped one of his mate's wrists and began to massage the scent gland. He was thankful that he'd read the chapter in one of his books on Omegas regarding how to ease any discomfort a new mate might feel during their first time together. It worked like a dream as Yuuri relaxed, body practically melting into the floor beneath him with a blissful smile on his face.

 _Just take it easy now._ _You don't want to hurt him._ He told himself as he began to move, setting up a slow, but steady rhythm. He carefully rocked in and out, sheathing himself within the other man's warmth. _Remember, he's an Omega and they are fragile, delicate. I can't lose control and just-_

"Victor…" Yuuri's nails dug into the Alpha's back. "Harder…I need more…"

The other man paused in surprise at the request. Surely Yuuri must be delirious from the heat…

"Yuuri, I don't think-"

"Stop thinking and fuck me," Yuuri growled as his eyes snapped open. Victor barely had time to process what was happening before he'd been rolled onto his back and Yuuri began to simply take what he wanted.

 _No, this isn't just about what he wants._ _This is about what he needs._ Victor realized as he yielded to the movement of Yuuri's hips. The heat-drunk Omega shivered and moaned as he rose up, only to slam back down again, taking Victor to the hilt.

"Yes, ahh…yes…more…" Yuuri cried out, head thrown back in ecstasy. Victor gripped Yuuri's waist tightly and bucked upward as he continued to ride him. The young man let out a stunned gasp of pleasure that was nearly drowned out by the staccato beat of Yuuri's ass repeatedly slapping against Victor's hips.

 _He's so perfect and mine..._

Victor's eyes narrowed in on Yuuri's sweat-damp throat.

 _Yes, mine…_

Victor sat up, holding Yuuri close as he felt his knot begin to swell. He turned his head to the side and guided Yuuri's lips to his scent gland as he sought out the younger man's.

"Ah! Victor…" Yuuri whimpered as the Alpha buried himself inside a final time, knot stretching the already snug channel to lock him within.

"You're doing so well," Victor ran his hands along Yuuri's back in a soothing motion and it wasn't long before he was circling his hips, seeking the satisfaction that came from feeling his mate fill him with his come. It was the only thing that could sate the beast inside, even if for only a short while. Victor was eager to help his mate as he grasped Yuuri's straining length. It only took a few firm strokes and Yuuri released a breathy cry against Victor's throat, falling apart in the Alpha's arms as he came.

"God…Yuuri…" Victor groaned as his orgasm followed mere moments later, coaxed from his body as Yuuri pulsed around him, milking his knot as he shot his seed deep inside. Victor felt Yuuri's teeth brush his neck and he reciprocated, biting down at the same time.

Victor had no words to describe the sensations that raced through his body. So many emotions. His and Yuuri's…mingling, mixing, becoming one as they drifted in each other's arms. He felt his mate's happiness through the bond that was forming between them with every beat of their hearts.

A soft rumble spread through him, something he'd never felt before. It took him several long seconds to realize that Yuuri was purring. Victor felt their shared joy wrap around them like a blanket, urging them to rest for the time being, to enjoy the quiet moment in the aftermath of their bonding.

He didn't fight it, allowing himself to be dragged away into slumber as he held his mate close and thanked every god in the heavens for bestowing a blessing like Yuuri in his life.


	12. Instinct

**A/N:** Some more smut (and fluff)...I know, I'm totally spoiling you ;) Enjoy!

* * *

Victor's eyes snapped open, senses heightened and highly attuned to his mate's needs during his heat. His brow furrowed in confusion when he found his arms empty.

 _Where is my Yuuri?_

Quiet mumbling from the Omega immediately drew his attention to where he sat beside him. He slowly sat up, watching Yuuri as he focused his attention on the pillows and blankets before him, arranging them to his satisfaction in the nest. His face glowed pink and feverish even in the dim light of the heat room as he worked.

"…just…there…" Yuuri muttered to himself as he tucked another blanket in amongst the others. "…good…nest good…"

Satisfaction welled up inside Victor at the sight of the wonderful job Yuuri was doing, proud of his husband for making such an effort toward creating what was clearly the best nest _ever_. He reached out and gently brushed his knuckles down Yuuri's burning hot cheek.

"Vitya…" Yuuri whispered as he leaned into the touch and turned his gaze toward the other man. His pupils dilated wildly as they met Victor's own. Yuuri closed his eyes and smiled. "That feels nice…"

"Darling, I need you to drink some water for me, alright?" Yuuri opened his eyes and frowned at the request as Victor withdrew his hand. The older man opened a panel in the wall where a mini-fridge stocked with water was located

"Don't want that," Yuuri whined softly, struggling with his words as he reached out to run his fingers along the Alpha's chest. "Knot me, please?"

Victor sighed internally and told himself to be strong as he took the lid off the bottle and handed it to the Omega. Yuuri looked at him stubbornly, lower lip pushed out in an adorable pout.

"After?" Yuuri asked sullenly as he took it from him.

"Yes, lots of knotting after. I promise," he assured his mate who finally began to drink. Victor took the moment to grab a bottle for himself as well and downed it hastily, wiping at his chin as some escaped to trail down his neck. When he was finished he set it aside and found that Yuuri was staring at him with a slack-jawed expression of need, watching the drops of water slide down Victor's body.

"Now?" Yuuri licked his lips before finally meeting Victor's eyes again. The Alpha nodded as he took the half-empty bottle and tucked it into the fridge.

"You'll finish that later moya lyubov?" Yuuri nodded eagerly in response, squirming where he sat. Victor was surprised how lucid he felt after the first wave of Yuuri's heat had passed and they'd bonded. Every instinct was telling him to stay focused and alert so he could take care of his sweet mate.

Yuuri's gaze darkened and he pounced forward to stake his claim. Victor grinned as his back hit the soft floor of the heat room. His last coherent thought as the scent of fresh slick filled the air was that he was the luckiest man alive.

 **xxx**

Their occasional bouts of giddy laughter mixed with panting breaths and low growls. Sometimes his mate's hands gently worshipped Yuuri's body, skimming along sweat-damp skin with a sort of reverence. Other times those talented fingers gripped him tight enough to leave lasting marks that Yuuri knew he'd wear with pride.

"Vitya…"

It was as if all his inhibitions had been swept away, leaving no barrier to hold back his darkest desires. Yuuri surrendered to it, allowing his instincts to rule him. He shamelessly demanded what he needed and Victor never failed to give it to him.

Yuuri wasn't sure how much time had passed in his heat drunk daze, impaled on his husband's cock and stretched wide on his knot as he pumped his seed deep inside. His body trembled as pleasure washed over him again and again. He could feel Victor's love, how much he cared for him through the bond that grew stronger with every touch.

His head rested on Victor's chest and he listened to his heartbeat with a tired smile, allowing the steady sound to lull him to sleep. When he woke once more it was from the surprising sensation of being lifted from the nest by his mate.

Yuuri whimpered softly as he became painfully aware of his sore, aching body. Everything _hurt_ and he was cold…so cold. He shuddered and tried to burrow closer into Victor's arms.

"It's okay. We'll get you warmed up." Victor murmured. Yuuri nodded weakly and finally pried his eyes open to half-mast. His lids were heavy and he struggled to stay alert. He let out a happy sigh as they entered the steam filled bathroom and the temperature jumped dramatically.

"…a nice warm bath. Get clean and comfortable before you go back to resting." Yuuri's brow furrowed briefly as he realized he hadn't been paying attention to a word Victor had been saying. He knew that he was likely slipping in and out of consciousness, but could hardly care as the heated water helped soothe his aching body.

As he drifted on the edge of waking, Yuuri caught bits and pieces of a beautiful melody that Victor was quietly singing to himself.

 _"Se potessi vederti dalla speranza nascerà l'eternità…"_

Fingers brushed through wet strands of his hair.

 _"...stammi vicino, non te ne andare…"_

A soft cloth brushed gently along his skin.

 _"…e i battiti del cuore, si fondono tra loro…"_

His mate's strong arms held him close, made him feel safe.

"Yuuri?"

"Moya lyubov?" Victor chuckled as Yuuri's face scrunched up at being bothered. "I'm going to dry you off now."

Yuuri mewled, letting it be known that he was displeased with leaving the comforting warmth of the water. Victor was as quick as he possibly could be, while still managing to be gentle as he plucked the younger man from the bath and wrapped a large fluffy towel around him.

The Omega blinked slowly when he next opened his eyes, jarred from slumber at the sound of a door closing. He was lying in their bed, propped up on pillows and snuggled under the comforter. The radiating warmth of an electric blanket helped chase away the remaining chill in his body. His parents had always done this for him afterward as well, keeping him nice and toasty as his temperature regulated again. He yawned softly as he watched Victor cross the room with a tray in his hands. The wonderful smell that wafted through the air toward him was familiar and his stomach rumbled in response.

"Is Miso soup alright? Your mother said it was your favorite for after heat," Victor explained as he set down the tray on the nightstand and began to uncover the soup.

"You talked to my mom?" Yuuri croaked out in confusion as Victor sat next to him on the edge of the bed and began stirring the contents of the bowl.

"Yes, I wanted to make sure to maintain some consistency in routine for your heat where possible," Victor replied with a bright smile as he held the soup before him and extended a spoonful toward Yuuri's mouth. The Omega took it gratefully and felt tears well up in his eyes at the taste. This was his mother's recipe. It sent a wave of homesickness through Yuuri.

"Are you okay?" Victor asked worriedly at the reaction from his husband. "Is it not the right soup?"

"No, that's not it," Yuuri sniffled out, opening his mouth for another bite and swallowing it gratefully. "It's perfect."

Victor beamed with the distinct pride of an Alpha who had pleased his mate. He felt the other man's joy and content through their bond as he continued to eat until most of the soup was gone. Victor set aside the bowl with a smile before reaching out to run his fingers through Yuuri's hair. The young man leaned into the feeling and weakly sought Victor's other hand, interlacing their fingers.

"Lay down with me?" Yuuri asked hopefully.

"Of course," Victor brought Yuuri's hand to his lips and kissed the back of it before rising so he could go around the other side of the bed and climb in. Victor adjusted the pillows so they could both lie down before wrapping an arm around Yuuri's torso. He drew flush with Yuuri's body to hold him, leaning in to kiss the healing bond mark upon the Omega's throat.

Yuuri couldn't imagine wanting or needing more in that moment. His stomach was full, his mate's soft croon was soothing the aches in his body, and he was wrapped up in cozy blankets.

"I love you, Yuuri."

The young man smiled tiredly and turned his head to kiss his husband.

"I love you too, Victor."


	13. Anything

"I have a surprise for you," Victor murmured to Yuuri as he took his hand. The Omega smiled in response and set down his napkin, allowing his mate to lead him from the dining table. It had been a full week since that night of the ballet when his heat had started. He was finally well enough in the aftermath that Victor had allowed him out of bed. He'd been so wonderful as he doted upon Yuuri every chance he had.

"I had them working on it all week. The workers only just finished it this morning." Victor explained with a bright smile on his face. Yuuri laughed as he slid a silk sleeping mask over his eyes as a blindfold.

"Victor…" he pouted slightly, cocking his head to the side. "Is this really necessary?"

"Shh, indulge me," Victor responded playfully.

As Yuuri was led downstairs he tried to recall the layout of the lower floor. He hadn't had much opportunity to acquaint himself with the house before his heat and now found himself all turned around, unsure where they were as Victor carefully guided him.

 _Are we going to watch a movie again?_ _That would be nice._ Yuuri thought with a yawn as he remembered the soft cushions and blankets in the room.

"Tired?" The concern in Victor's tone was not lost on the Omega and he shrugged in response, not wanting to worry him.

"Maybe a little," Yuuri squeezed his hand with a smile. "I'll let you know if I need a break, I promise."

"Okay…we're here," Victor murmured as a door creaked open. The young man was hit with the strong scent of fresh paint as the Alpha started to slide the blindfold away. Yuuri gasped softly as he looked around the room. His gaze darted from the smooth wood floors to the mirrored wall and the long bar running along it before finally swinging back to Victor.

"You said you liked to dance and I thought that this would be something you'd enjoy," Victor explained with a hopeful expression on his face.

"Vitya…" Yuuri's voice trembled. He was so overwhelmed by the thoughtful gesture that he threw himself into his mate's arms, a quiet sob escaping as he held him close. "Thank you…thank you so much."

 _I can't believe he did this for me._ Yuuri sniffled as he turned his head to lay on Victor's shoulder and glanced at the room once more.

"Anything for you, my Yuuri," Victor replied as he rested his cheek atop Yuuri's head and took a deep breath of the Omega's happy scent. "I love you."

"I _*yawn*_ love you, too," Yuuri whispered sleepily as he snuggled deeper into his husband's embrace.

"I think it's time for you to take that break, moy milyy," Victor chuckled and swept him up into his arms. Yuuri could only nod in agreement as his eyelids grew heavier.

 **xxx**

 _*knock knock*_

"Come in," Victor called out as he continued to sign the documents before him, briefly glancing up to see Phichit enter before he returned his attention back to the paperwork on his desk. "I swear…I'm never going to get through all of this."

"Victor."

The tension in the Beta's voice immediately gained the Alpha's full attention. He knew from experience that whatever the young man was going to share with him likely wasn't pleasant.

"What happened?" Victor asked as he set his pen down and leaned back in his seat with a sigh.

"One of the guards went back to retrieve your jackets from the ballet yesterday afternoon. They were waiting for me in my office this morning, so I could take them to be dry cleaned," the younger man explained as he walked toward him. "When I was looking them over for any mending that we might need to request, I found these hidden very cleverly beneath the lapels on each of your coats." Phichit extended his hand to show Victor the tiny black disks of metal. The Pakhan's eyes widened in surprise.

"Don't worry they've been completely deactivated. Chris had them checked to see if we could trace them back somehow to their owner, but…" Phichit shrugged apologetically and set them on the desk. "I'm trying to obtain security footage of the coat check from the theatre to see if anyone suspicious or recognizable pops up."

"Increase security around the property and make sure that no one goes out alone on jobs," Victor replied, gaze dark and thoughtful as he considered who might have done such a thing. It wasn't characteristic of most of the organizations that they typically dealt with. This was subtle, a quiet maneuver that worried the Alpha more than any flashier attempts might have.

In particular, because it reminded him of his own methods of surveillance on his enemies, as well another person's…

"Yakov," he growled lowly as he picked up one of the small tracking devices and examined it closely. _What the hell are you playing at with a move like this, old man?_

"The vehicles have been swept for bugs and trackers as well?" Victor asked as he tossed the black disc onto his desk in disgust.

"Yes," Phichit nodded. "Otabek personally scoured every inch of them."

"Have Chris check in with his contacts to see if they've heard anything."

"You got it, boss," Phichit eyed him curiously as if he wanted to say something.

"What is it?" Victor snarled, slamming his hands on the desk. The Thai man raised an eyebrow before turning to leave the room. He glanced back as he reached the door to meet his gaze.

"I was going to suggest that you take some time to assure your very angry, inner Alpha that your mate is safe and maybe let him calm you."

Victor scowled but considered the idea nonetheless.

"That is what Omegas are known for, right? Keeping their Alpha calm and level-headed?"

"Yeah…I mean," Victor knew his assistant was right and that it would make him feel settled. With a curt nod, he rounded the desk and strode quickly past the younger man in search of his mate. He frowned when the Omega was not amongst the blankets of their bed where he'd left him earlier after their trip down to the new ballet studio. His chest still puffed a bit with pride as he recalled the look on Yuuri's face when he'd seen it.

 _Where are you?_ Victor closed his eyes and tried to feel the invisible pull of their bond to find him. He slowly made his way down the hall and smiled as he reached the heat room. He peered inside to find the scent of soothing lavender filling the small space. Victor quickly entered and closed the door behind him. He quietly kneeled by his mate's side.

Yuuri had fluffed all the pillows and was currently wrapped up in his favorite blue blanket from the movie room. It never had managed to make its way back there and had become a permanent piece of their bedding. _He must have dragged it in from our bed when he came in here._ _How cute._

The Alpha wasn't sure how long he simply sat there, drinking in the sight of his sweet Omega. He eventually slipped off his shoes and crawled under the blanket with Yuuri, combining his warmth with his husband's own. Yuuri's nose scrunched up adorably as he burrowed closer.

 _Yes, this is exactly what I needed._ Victor thought contentedly as his mind became clearer, judgment unclouded by the anger and frustration he'd been subject to for years as he'd waited to find an Omega mate.

 _No, not just to find a mate…to find **Yuuri**_. Victor thought happily. _No one could ever compare to him._

 _*it's the eye of the tiger it's the thrill of the fi-*_

Victor frowned as the song blared from his phone. He sat up and quickly answered it, but could already tell he'd woken his husband as Yuuri's cinnamon-hued eyes blinked sleepily at him from his nest of blankets and pillows.

"Yes?"

"We're on our way back from Moscow. I've looked everywhere the last couple of days, but I couldn't track down Georgi anywhere," the young Beta spat out angrily. "It's like him and his crew just disappeared." Victor's gaze narrowed at Yuri's words. He had a feeling he knew exactly where Georgi was.

"Get back here immediately. I think he's in Saint Petersburg." Victor imagined that Yakov had heard by now that he had an Omega. It would make sense that the leader of the Feltsman Bratva would want to take Victor out before he grew stronger, steadier, and more influential from having a bonded mate by his side. He had no doubt that Yakov would seek to supplant him with Georgi, expanding the Moscow Pakhan's overall territory and allowing his young protegee a chance to build his own reputation before eventually taking over.

"I'll want your crew watching the hotels and entertainment district for any sign of him. I'll have Chris' team monitor our shipments and increase our security measures at the businesses we own. How long until you're back?"

"We're about an hour into our trip on the Sapsan, so at least three more hours, but I can get some of my guys that are still back in town working on this immediately."

"Good. Keep me posted." Victor hung up and breathed in a lungful of his mate's calming scent.

"Is everything okay?" Yuuri murmured as he sat up and wrapped his arms around the older man's torso. "I should probably learn Russian, so you don't have to give me a recap every time you speak it."

"Nothing important I assure you, just some pressing business," Victor explained with a smile. Yuuri seemed to accept the answer as he tilted his face up and leaned in for a kiss.

Above all else, Victor wanted to keep Yuuri from the dark side of his world, protect him from any who would seek to destroy the life they were building together.

 _I'll keep you safe Yuuri._ Victor silently promised as he lost himself to the taste of his husband's lips, to the welcoming space between his thighs, to the clench of Yuuri's body around his cock as he buried himself deep within his slick heat.

Yuuri's panting breaths ghosted along the skin of his neck, fingers trembling as they dug into Victor's back, pulling him impossibly closer as he wordlessly begged for more.

 _Anything for you, my love…_

 _Anything…_

* * *

 **End Note:** The Sapsan is a high-speed electric express train that can make the trip from Moscow to Saint Petersburg in about four hours. They can reach speeds up to 155mph (250km/h).


	14. Hunt

"I brought in some of our men from the surrounding cities to increase security on all our business and warehouses in St. Petersburg," Chris informed Victor with a heavy sigh as he sat down on the sofa in the Alpha's office. "We run the risk of being less prepared in those areas for any assaults, but I still think it's the right decision. They're all keeping their eyes wide open."

"I agree," Victor nodded in understanding before turning to Yuri. "What have you found so far?"

"I have guys keeping an eye on the hotels and any homes of people who we know might aid Yakov's family," Yuri replied, glancing briefly at his phone when it vibrated. "If any of them don't check in every hour, we can expect that they've been discovered." The young man shrugged. "At least that will give us an idea of where that fucker Georgi is if that happens."

"What about the estate?" Victor inquired.

"I've tripled the guards around the house," Yuri's jaw clenched with determination. "Those assholes aren't getting anywhere near this place."

"Thank you," Victor responded gratefully as a weight was lifted from his shoulders. It was reassuring to know that his Yuuri was so well protected. "That's all for now. Could you please send Phichit in on your way out?"

The men nodded and quickly exited, no doubt planning to check on their subordinates. Victor smiled as Phichit entered his office, scrolling through something on his iPad as he approached the Pakhan. Phichit stopped abruptly and looked up at him, returning Victor's smile with one of his own.

"How are you doing, Victor? How's Yuuri?" Phichit asked politely.

"He's fine," Victor replied smoothly. Phichit knowingly raised an eyebrow.

"You haven't told him, have you?" His assistant asked quietly. Victor sighed and shook his head.

"No, I don't want to upset him. He shouldn't have to concern himself with this."

"With all due respect, I think you give Yuuri too little credit," Phichit responded. "He would want to know if something were going on, so he could support you."

"I know, but this might turn out to be nothing still, and I'd like to shield him from this sort of thing whenever possible," Victor rubbed at his temples as his mind wandering to thoughts of his beautiful mate, wondering what he was doing at the moment.

"I understand. Just, think about it, alright?"

"Yes, thank you, I will," Victor assured him. "Now, let's go over the schedule for the next couple of days…"

 **xxx**

"Ngh…" Yuuri grunted lowly as he leaned forward across the floor, continuing to cool down after using the new studio that Victor had built for him. He hadn't lasted very long; stamina not quite what it usually was given his recently finished heat and lack of practice in recent weeks. He pushed onward, diligently stretching his limbs as he tried to regain some of the precious flexibility that he had lost in that short period of time. He found that his body was frustratingly tense, muscles resistant to loosen and relax. He finally sat up, brushing away the sheen of sweat on his forehead and taking a sip from his water bottle.

 _I might have to take a nap later._ He thought as he stifled a yawn that threatened to escape. Yuuri knew he was close to being back to normal, but the strenuous nature of his heat and bonding with Victor had taken a lot out of him, and he still found he grew tired easily. He eventually decided to stop for the day and headed back upstairs to shower. He took off the black canvas ballet flats he wore and examined the elastic he'd sewn on that morning to make sure it was holding alright. Yuuri already knew he'd need to ask Phichit to order him a few more pairs. He was grateful that the other man had dance experience and knew exactly what to get him.

 _I should see if Victor wants to have lunch with me after I clean up._ He took another swig from his water bottle and headed for his mate's office. Yuuri knocked gently when he heard the muffled sound of voices from within. Phichit swung the door open with a bright grin on his face.

"Hi Yuuri!" The Beta's gaze took in his outfit with a smug expression. "Looks like everything fits well." Yuuri glanced down at his black tights and short sleeved white t-shirt before shooting Phichit a smile.

"Yes, very comfortable. Thank you so much." Yuuri looked over Phichit's shoulder at Victor as the Alpha walked toward them, eyes wide as they raked up and down the Omega's lithe figure.

"So, uh…" Victor swallowed hard, the unmistakable scent of arousal filling the air. "This is what you wear to practice?"

"Aaaaaaand that's my cue to exit," Phichit's nose scrunched up as he hurried out the door and closed it behind him.

"Um, yeah? Is that ok- Ah!" Yuuri gasped in surprise as Victor pressed him against the door, hands roaming downward along the younger man's body until they came to rest on Yuuri's ass. The Omega moaned as Victor squeezed and slid one of his thighs between Yuuri's own.

"You're so hot…coming in here and tempting me. I'm not sure if I want anyone else to see you like this," Victor muttered as he kissed along Yuuri's neck, breathing in his scent. "Mmm, smell so good…"

"V-Victor!" Yuuri squirmed and whined in embarrassment. "I'm all sweaty…and gross…and-"

"The sexiest fucking thing I've ever seen," Victor interrupted him with a growl as he reached behind Yuuri to lock the door. The Alpha's gaze was hungry, predatory as he looked into the Omega's cinnamon-hued eyes. Yuuri instinctively released a soothing burst of his pheromones in response, hoping to calm his mate down.

He could tell that Victor was on edge, as if something were bothering him. And while Yuuri wanted to be a comfort to his husband, he didn't want Victor to turn to sex as a solution every time he was stressed out. A dawning realization filled Victor's expression as he breathed in the soothing scent. The older man took a deep breath and closed his eyes, leaning forward to rest his head on Yuuri's shoulder.

"I'm sorry. You must think I'm some sort of animal," Victor murmured. Yuuri wrapped his arms around Victor and pulled him closer, not allowing the Alpha to distance himself. Victor sighed happily as one of Yuuri's hands sought out the silver hair at his nape, fingers curling in the short strands.

"Maybe a big puppy," Yuuri teased. Victor lifted his head, a small pout on his lips. It might have been the most adorable thing Yuuri had ever seen.

"A puppy?" Victor scoffed, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You're underestimating me…I'd be, umm, some kind of big dog, with, uh..amazing hair, I mean fur, and the ability to sniff out their prey no matter where they might try to hide."

Yuuri giggled as Victor growled playfully and began to kiss his throat again.

"Mmm…see?" Victor whispered with a flick of his tongue against the mark on Yuuri's throat. The Omega shivered, a pleased sigh escaping his lips as his head fell back against the door and he bared his neck further to his mate. "I'll always be able to find you."

"Hmm, I think I know exactly what you are," Yuuri murmured, a smile on his face. "You're a wolf."

"Maybe I should hunt _you_ ," Victor responded, teeth grazing along Yuuri's skin.

"You'd have to catch me first," Yuuri breathed out teasingly, hips hitching against Victor's thigh. "I have it on good authority that I'm pretty fast."

"Even so, I'll give you a ten-second head start," Victor's azure eyes were stormy with desire as he looked at Yuuri again. The Alpha's lips curved into a confident smirk as he took a step back and released the Omega from his grasp. "Ten…"

 _Is he serious?_ Yuuri's cinnamon-hued eyes widened, a thrill rushing through his body.

"Nine…" Victor continued, raising an eyebrow expectantly.

 _Oh, my God. He's serious!_ Yuuri let out an embarrassing squeak as he turned swiftly and unlocked the door to step into the hallway.

"Eight…"

Yuuri grinned as he sprinted away, finding that he was eager to play such an exciting game with his mate.

 _So much for helping him calm down, I suppose._

 **xxx**

"Two."

"One."

Victor felt the tension leave his shoulders as he gave in to the overwhelming urge to chase down his mate. The only thing that had kept him from immediately following Yuuri had been the happiness that he'd sensed through their bond. It may have been silly to play such a game, but the Alpha felt like he could afford to let loose and have a little fun with his adorable husband for a bit.

He strode unhurriedly from the room, easily following Yuuri's scent down the hall and eventually upstairs to their bedroom. Victor couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him.

 _Could he make it any easier?_ He imagined his Omega splayed out on their bed wearing nothing but those tights that clung to every dip and curve of his magnificent thighs and bouncy ass. Those legs were a gift from God and Victor still wasn't sure what he'd ever done to deserve such a reward, but he wasn't about to deny his good fortune.

He traced the scent to their closet and peeked inside. Victor crept within, quietly sneaking around the dresser island in the middle of the room, positive that Yuuri hid on the other side of it.

"Gotcha!" Victor exclaimed as he burst around the corner. His brow furrowed in confusion when all he found was the hamper. He scowled at the sight of the young man's white t-shirt, picking it up and taking a deep breath of the potent lingering fragrance still trapped in the fabric.

Victor huffed in amusement, noticing that the black dress shirt he'd tossed in the hamper the night before was missing. He knew Phichit wouldn't have just taken the one shirt, so that must mean…

 _Yuuri's wearing it._ He grinned at the realization that his mate was taking their game seriously by attempting to hide his scent beneath Victor's own.

 _Very clever, moy milyy._ Victor heard the door to their bedroom creak and ran out, heading into the hall and trying to catch his Omega's scent once more. He rushed from room to room, on the hunt for his husband.

 _You never fail to surprise me, Yuuri._

 **xxx**

Yuuri could barely contain his laughter where he hid in the master bathroom, listening to Victor's footsteps fade away. He smiled and began to undress now that he was sure he was alone, stripping off his tights, dance belt and Victor's shirt as he made his way to the shower. He didn't dare take the time to run a bath, knowing that Victor would easily discover him that way.

The young man was determined to wash up before any sort of _shenanigans_ took place. As enthusiastic as Victor might have been about the scent of his sweat-drenched body, Yuuri would prefer to be a bit cleaner before they got dirty again. He frowned at the backward logic his mind had produced as he turned the water on and stepped under the spray.

All concerns were washed down the drain as the water ran in heated rivulets along his body. It felt amazing, soothing any of the aches that had appeared in his body due to the simple fact that he hadn't practiced in so long. He quickly shampooed his hair before moving on to the body wash. Yuuri accidentally grabbed the bottle next to the Omega-Safe body wash at first. He curiously clicked open the lid and breathed deeply, taking in the subtle fragrance of vanilla.

 _That must be where it comes from._ Yuuri realized as he took another sniff. He'd noticed a lovely, but faint, hint of vanilla in Victor's scent on occasion. It would come and go, inconsistent, unlike the evergreen aroma Victor always carried. Yuuri pouted slightly that his scentless Omega body wash was so boring.

 _I want to smell like Victor all the time._ Yuuri sighed happily at the idea.

 _I'm sure using a little wouldn't hurt anything, right?_ He stubbornly decided as he poured it on the body puff and started to spread the foaming soap all over his body. Yuuri giggled, feeling a bit like he was doing something naughty.

"Gah!" Yuuri yelped and dropped the poof, startled as Victor's arms wrapped around his body from behind.

"Found you, Yuuuuuuuri!" Victor said in a sing-song voice as he pulled the Omega ever closer and released a pleased hum that reverberated against Yuuri's skin. "Were you in here the whole time? How sneaky of you!"

"You're not mad?" Yuuri asked worriedly. Victor turned him around with concern in his eyes, hands coming up to cup his young mate's face in his palms.

"Of course not. It was so much fun!" Victor assured him as he leaned in for a kiss. Yuuri's shoulders slumped in relief, giving Victor a shy smile in return before turning around to pick up the body puff laying at his feet. As he bent over, he felt Victor's hands come to rest on his hips with a low groan.

"Would you mind staying just like that for a moment?" The Alpha's voice was strained, fingers digging into the skin in his grasp.

"Is everything okay?" Yuuri asked in concern, his limber body easily maintaining the position due to the stretching he did after dance practice earlier. Victor pressed closer as his thick, hard cock came to rest between Yuuri's cheeks.

"Mmm, just enjoying the view," Victor mumbled as he rolled his hips, rutting between the soapy globes of Yuuri's ass.

"Hngh, right there…" Yuuri moaned, placing his palms flat on the floor to brace himself as he enjoyed the friction of his husband's length brushing against his hole with every thrust.

"God, you're so flexible," Victor muttered as he snapped his hips forward. "The positions I could get you into moy milyy…it's so sexy."

Yuuri moaned at the feeling of Victor's hands as they slid along his back, kneading the muscles there with an expert touch. Victor wrapped his arms around Yuuri's torso, pulling him upright once more; the hard, muscular planes of the Alpha's body pressed tightly to his smaller frame. Yuuri's head fell back against Victor's shoulder as he slid a finger inside his slick hole. One finger quickly became two, then three as their panting breaths filled the steamy air.

"Vii- Victor…" Yuuri whined softly. "I need you."

"Fuck," Victor cursed as he removed his fingers and sat down on the built-in bench of the large shower. He spread Yuuri's cheeks wide, leaning in close to languid run his tongue along his twitching rim.

"Hngh…ah!" Yuuri gasped, hands shooting out to land on the opposite wall to steady himself as pleasure shot through his body.

"Taste so good," Victor mumbled as the tip of his tongue dove inside Yuuri's slick warmth.

"Please," Yuuri whimpered, legs trembling as he tried to keep from falling to his knees. Victor lapped at Yuuri's entrance a final time before conceding to his demands, guiding Yuuri back onto his lap to enter him in one smooth thrust.

Yuuri sighed with relief, the feeling of fullness sated the hunger inside him that had steadily grown ever since his heat. He was becoming addicted to the way that Victor could make him feel. Their moans echoed off the tiled walls of the shower as Yuuri began to bounce on Victor's lap, chasing the release he knew was on the horizon.

"Yes, just like that…" Victor growled as his teeth latched onto the smooth skin of Yuuri's shoulder. The Alpha snapped his hips upward, jutting hard and fast into Yuuri's snug, slick channel.

"I'm- I'm gonna come, Victor," Yuuri groaned as the wet, staccato slap of his ass against Victor's groin rang out in the small space. He eagerly met each pounding thrust, grinding himself back onto his mate's cock.

"Yes, come for me Yuuri…God, you feel so good," Victor muttered as he slammed deep within once more, driving Yuuri over the edge. Yuuri's breath caught in his throat as his orgasm ripped through him, back arching as he pulsed around the hard cock buried inside him. He felt Victor's teeth on his shoulder again as the Alpha let out a low grunt and filled Yuuri's ass with his seed.

Yuuri's eyes fluttered closed with a sleepy, contented sigh as the exertion from his earlier dance practice caught up with him. As the adrenaline fled his body, his mind urged him to rest as he sunk deeper into Victor's embrace. Yuuri frowned petulantly as his mate's cock slipped from his ass. Victor hauled him gently to his feet and guided the pouting Omega to stand beneath the heated water, holding him close as he began to clean them off.

"Victor…I'm tired. I'll do it later," Yuuri fussed as he felt the soap being rinsed from his skin. All he could think about was snuggling up in the blankets on their bed

"Just a little longer. You can take a nap and I'll bring you a late lunch afterward." Victor kissed the top of his head and shut off the water. "I think you're still a bit weak from your heat, moy milyy."

"O-okay," Yuuri nodded as he was dried off and wrapped in a fluffy towel.

"Victor! What are you doing?" Yuuri gasped in surprise as Victor picked him up and carried him from the bathroom to their bed.

"Taking care of you," Victor replied as he set Yuuri down on the plush mattress before quickly tucking him in beneath the blankets.

"Thank you," Yuuri murmured gratefully as his eyes closed, struggling to stay awake in the warmth of their bed, surrounded by their shared scent. "Love you…"

 **xxx**

"I love you, too," Victor whispered, smiling down at the sleeping beauty before him. He dimmed the lights in the bedroom and went back into the bathroom, putting on his hastily discarded clothing that lay just inside. He'd managed to get his pants back on before his phone started buzzing insistently in his pocket. He glanced at who it was and immediately accepted the call.

"Yes, Yuri?" He answered as he closed the bathroom door, not wanting to disturb his slumbering mate.

"I think I've found Georgi and his little entourage," the blond Beta snarled. "Two of our men watching the Belmond haven't checked in for over two hours. They aren't answering their phones either."

"Get confirmation and coordinate with Chris to determine next steps," Victor informed him calmly. "We'll meet in an hour in my office to discuss this further."

"Got it," Yuri replied before hanging up. Victor couldn't ever recall feeling so level-headed in the type of high-risk situation they currently found themselves in.

 _It must be the bond…Yuuri. He's helped me center myself, find peace and focus._ He thought as he finished putting on his clothes. He checked on Yuuri a final time before heading downstairs. He had just enough time to run by the kitchen and ask the chef to prepare their lunch a little later than usual.

 _I'll keep you safe from the likes of Georgi and Yakov, my sweet Yuuri._ His eyes narrowed in determination. _I won't let anyone interfere with the joy you've brought to my life. I promise._


	15. Hopeless

**A/N** :I truly appreciate everyone being understanding while waiting for this new chappie. What can I say except that my Death Note muses ganged up on my YOI muses for a while there :) They just weren't letting me come back to this until now. Thanks again for your patience! I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

* * *

"Any word from our men at the Belmond?" Victor asked as he sat down at his desk.

"No, Dmitri and Ivan have completely fallen off the fucking grid," Yuri scowled. "Fucking Georgi…"

"I've spoken with one of our contacts at the hotel and apparently a large party reserved a block of rooms in one of the upper floor wings," Chris smirked. "Registered under the name Carabosse."

 _The evil witch from Sleeping Beauty._ Victor snorted derisively. "He's always had a flair for the dramatic."

"We don't have an exact read on how many people are in town with him," Chris continued. "It could be anywhere between ten to twenty men. That's assuming that he doesn't have any of them staying at other hotels under the radar to throw us off."

"Hmm, how would you suggest we-" Victor was interrupted as Yuri's phone rang. He raised a questioning eyebrow at the young man.

"It's Ivan…" Yuri exclaimed hopefully as he answered the call. "Hey, fucker, what the hell happened to you?"

The blond's expression turned dark and angry as he listened for several seconds.

"Just a second," Yuri spat out before putting the phone on mute and looking at Victor with narrowed eyes. "It's Georgi. He'd like a word with you."

"Well, isn't that interesting," Victor took a sip of his coffee and leaned back in his chair. "Let's just let him stew for a minute. Wouldn't want him thinking that he has us at his beck and call."

Yuri's jaw dropped open in surprise at the calm and collected demeanor of the Alpha before him. He nodded and set the phone on the desk without a word.

"I must say, Victor," Chris chuckled in amusement. "Having an Omega truly suits you. It makes sense why Yakov was trying to prevent this from happening."

"Yuuri is my everything now," Victor agreed. "You can see why it's so important for me to keep him safe and sound."

The Alpha sighed in annoyance as he sat up once more and reached out to put the phone on speaker. He could think of much better things to do with his time than deal with Georgi and Yakov.

Like spending it with his mate for example.

"Mr. Popovich, how are you enjoying Saint Petersburg so far?" A dark smile spread across Victor's face as the line remained silent for several long seconds. _You messed with the wrong man, Georgi._

"It's not Moscow, but I suppose it is rather…quaint," Georgi finally replied. "However, there seems to be an atrocious rat problem here. We've caught two already."

"Yes, I've heard that the Belmond, in particular, has seen a surge of vermin in the last day or so," Victor snapped in response. "I'm more than happy to send over an extermination crew to remedy that."

"Oh, Mr. Nikiforov…" Georgi chuckled. "I think you've misunderstood my intentions for this visit."

"And what would those intentions be?"

"Listen, as a show of good faith between us, I'll release your men," Georgi replied. "In exchange, I'd like to meet to discuss the relationship between our organizations."

"What do you propose?" Victor's eyes narrowed suspiciously. He glanced at Yuri and Chris to see his expression mirrored in theirs. _They're skeptical as well, good._

"We're both gentlemen, yes? Let us sit down for dinner in a civilized manner," Georgi suggested. "You can choose the place as long as my guards are able to check it out beforehand and approve."

"How generous of you," Victor sarcastically replied.

"I'll bring your men to the meeting," Georgi ignored the not-so-subtle jab. "Do you agree?"

Victor considered the offer. He had a feeling there was something else to all of this, but he couldn't pass up the opportunity to get his people back.

"This is acceptable," Victor agreed. "Mr. Giacometti will be in touch to finalize the details shortly."

The Alpha hung up and turned to his associates with unspoken questions in his eyes. Chris let out a weary sigh and shrugged.

"I don't trust that he's just interested in talking. I think that much is clear," Chris pointed out. "But I do believe that the advantage is yours considering he's in Nikiforov territory."

"I agree," Yuri frowned as he stuffed his phone back in his pocket. "We'll need to pull in more security for this. it could spread us a little thin at a few of our businesses, but I'll see what I can do."

"I'll count on both of you to decide on the time, location and security coverage necessary," Victor replied. "I'd like an update within the hour."

All of them nodded and rose from their seats to go, leaving Victor alone with his thoughts.

 _Why are you really here, Georgi? I don't think it's a coincidence that you've arrived so soon after I've mated. I'm certainly not going to let you anywhere near my Yuuri._

 _Yuuri…_

 _Damn it! I forgot about lunch!_ Victor realized as he checked the time. He bolted from his chair and hurried to the kitchen to see if they could whip something up. Before he could do so, he ran into Phichit coming from that direction.

"Yuuri's in the dining room if you'd like to join him," the Beta explained. "I knew you were in the meeting so I had the chef make something for you for afterward. He just sat down."

"What would I do without you, Phichit," Victor gratefully replied. "Thank you."

"Just doing my job, boss," Phichit grinned in acknowledgment as he headed away down the hall.

 _He really is the best assistant I've ever had._ Victor decided as he entered the dining room. He smiled at the sight of his mate, hair mussed and wild from falling asleep with it wet. He'd clearly grabbed Victor's robe before coming down, as the overly long sleeves pooled at his wrists. He looked absolutely adorable and sexy in Victor's opinion.

"I hope it's okay that I started without you," Yuuri asked as Victor kissed the top of his head before sitting down next to him.

"Of course. I'm the one who should apologize," Victor assured him. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Yuuri smiled brightly and started to eat once more, digging into the pasta dish before him with gusto.

"Did you sleep well?" Victor asked before taking a bite.

"Mmm-hmm," Yuuri nodded in response as he finished chewing. "It's been several weeks since I last danced, but I think I'll have myself back in shape pretty quickly."

"I love your shape no matter what, Yuuri," Victor teased.

"I meant my stamina," Yuuri laughed. "I'm usually able to go longer."

"Well, I'm looking forward to seeing if I can keep up with you," Victor playfully replied before taking a bite of food. Yuuri's cheeks pinked at the innuendo. The Omega looked down at his food, swirling it on the plate before glancing up at Victor once again.

 _Lord have mercy…_ The Alpha swallowed hard, captivated by the heated desire in Yuuri's eyes.

"I'm sure that you're more than capable…Alpha," Yuuri practically purred as he licked a bit of sauce off his lips. Victor's cock twitched with interest, a low growl escaping him. A small smirk tugged at the corner of Yuuri's mouth.

All Victor could think about was how much he wanted to kiss Yuuri, to touch him, to hold him close. If he could spend all his time buried inside the warmth of Yuuri's body, surrounded by his delightful scent, he would be content.

 **xxx**

Yuuri wasn't sure why he felt like he could be so bold with his mate, but it was so fun to see his reaction. The Omega had never felt so wanted and lusted after in his life. It was intoxicating to have this powerful man absolutely crazy about him.

A myriad of emotions flitted across Victor's expression before he finally stood abruptly and walked to the door, pulling out his phone as he did so. Yuuri's heart dropped into his stomach.

 _Did I do something wrong?_ He grew more puzzled as Victor closed the door to the room and locked it. He rapidly tapped on his phone as he returned and tossed it down on the table. Victor looked to Yuuri once again and the need in his eyes was enough to evoke a whimper from the Omega.

"I wouldn't want us to be disturbed," Victor murmured as he took Yuuri's hand and urged him to stand. He pulled Yuuri into his arms once he was upright, burying his face in the younger man's neck and slipping a hand inside the folds of the robe he wore. The feeling of Victor's warm fingers sliding along his skin sent sparks through Yuuri's body. He suddenly felt so empty…

"I can't seem to get enough. I need you.." Victor murmured. "Trust me?"

"Yes, please," Yuuri breathed out as his own hand strayed down to stroke Victor's cock where it strained against the fabric of his pants before quickly popping the button and unzipping them. His breath hitched in surprise to find that his mate wore nothing beneath. The hot, hard length of him was heavy in Yuuri's grasp. His body tingled in anticipation of having it buried inside him.

 _We just had sex earlier, how can I want him this bad again already?_ Yuuri wondered as Victor sat down and pulled him into his lap to straddle him. The robe he wore billowed out around their lower bodies, leaving Yuuri some small bit of modesty even in the midst of such lewd behavior with his husband.

 _This is different from earlier in the shower._ Yuuri considered as Victor's lips connected with his own, kissing him slowly, languidly. Yuuri felt savored and cherished as Victor's hands roamed along his body, stroking and teasing all the places he knew that Yuuri liked to be touched.

"Victor," Yuuri lifted his hips invitingly. "I want you inside me."

The Alpha nodded and kissed him again as he pressed his cock to Yuuri's slick drenched entrance. They both moaned as Victor easily slipped inside. The Omega's welcoming heat was still open and ready for him from their earlier coupling. Yuuri lowered himself slowly, filled to the brim as Victor finally bottomed out deep inside. A sense of peace, calm, and satisfaction spread through him.

Yuuri rested his arms on Victor's shoulders and ran his fingers through his mate's silver locks as he rolled his hips. The feeling of being so intimately connected was heavenly.

"God, you take me so well, moy milyy," Victor groaned as he gripped Yuuri's hips and helped him ride his cock. They maintained a steady, slow pace as they took their pleasure in one another.

"Yessss…" Yuuri's fingers tightened in Victor's hair as the tension coiled in his body. Yuuri could feel every inch of Victor as he slid in and out of his clenching hole, dragging deliciously against his inner walls.

"Victor," Yuuri's head fell back with a low whine. It felt like his body was going to explode as he dangled on the precipice of orgasm. "I'm going to come…I need to…"

"Fuck, you're so sexy like this," Victor wrapped a hand around Yuuri's length and gave it a couple quick strokes. That was all it took for Yuuri to shatter into a billion pieces, toes curling and body shaking as he came. Victor's strangled moan was all the warning the Omega received before his mate's seed spilled inside him, filling Yuuri up even more.

Yuuri leaned forward and rested his cheek on Victor's shoulder, a delirious smile on his face as the aftershocks of his orgasm dissipated.

"If we keep this up, we're going to be taking a lot of showers…and naps," Yuuri mumbled.

"I don't mind," Victor chuckled. "Though I wonder if either of us will ever get anything done given what showers and baths usually lead to with us."

"There's just no helping it I suppose," Yuuri playfully replied. "Everyone should just write us off as a lost cause."

"Yes, indeed," Victor murmured affectionately. "Yuuri, let's be hopeless together…always."

Yuuri leaned back to meet his eyes with a soft smile on his face.

"Yes, always."

* * *

 **End Note:**

Gosha...why you gotta be all suspicious like that? XD


	16. Formalities

"How do you feel about making this a _formal_ meeting?"

Victor raised an eyebrow at Chris in response. A formal meeting was a fancy way of posturing between two Alphas, typically of equal rank. If it had been Yakov visiting there would have been no question that they'd have a so-called formal meeting, but…

Victor was Pakhan. Georgi was decidedly not.

"Is he asking for one?" Victor sneered. Chris shook his head.

"No, I'm suggesting it," Chris replied. "Hear me out on this."

"Go ahead," Victor agreed and gestured for him to continue. Chris had a sound mind for diplomacy and manipulation. Victor knew that there must be a good reason to suggest this break from protocol.

"Even though Georgi is the heir-apparent to the Feltsman Bratva he won't be expecting a formal meeting. It will be a huge boost for his ego to feel like he's being acknowledged. We know how Georgi's mind works, he'll become overconfident and that gives you an advantage," Chris explained.

"Get him to let his guard down…" Victor murmured thoughtfully as he traced a finger in circles atop his desk. It was an idea worth considering.

"Exactly. Secondly, it provides a much more public setting while we feel out why he's here in Saint Petersburg. This will help determine how and where we arrange the next meeting between just the two of you."

"Just the two-" Victor's eyes snapped up to glare at the Beta. Victor had nearly forgotten that formal meetings always included the Alphas' respective mates. One of the reasons for formal meetings was to show off their status and wealth to one another. Their Omega mates were a huge part of that. Not to mention the presence of Omegas kept the Alphas in attendance calm by their very nature.

"I just fucking mated with him, Chris," Victor growled. "It's too soon to expose him to this type of thing."

"Tch, just look at you," Yuri rolled his eyes, seemingly unfazed by Victor's anger. "You're barely able to keep your shit together. Do you really think you'll be able to make it through the meeting without your mate there to help?"

"It would be in a highly public location, Victor," Chris interjected. "Georgi wouldn't dare try something."

Victor frowned and leaned back in his chair, tapping his finger against his lips as he considered what they were both suggesting.

 _Having Yuuri with me would help me keep a level head. When we have the second meeting neither of us will have our Omegas in attendance, but by then I'll have a better idea of what Georgi wants and I'll be able to manage the discomfort better._

"Agreed. Propose this plan to Georgi and let me know when everything's finalized," Victor finally replied. "Please send Phichit in on your way out."

If they were going to do this, they were going to do this with as much style and grace as they could muster. He knew his assistant would be able to pull together something absolutely stunning for his mate to wear for the dinner meeting. Victor smiled at the memory of how delectable Yuuri had looked at the ballet.

 _Maybe something a little less sexy this time around or I might be too distracted by him to pay attention to Georgi._ Victor mused as he waited for Phichit. _Of course, my Yuuri could wear a potato sack and still look-_

"What can I do for you, Boss?" Phichit beamed as he strode in the room.

"I need formal attire for both myself and Yuuri, possibly as early as tomorrow night," Victor replied. "I assume that amongst the things you've stocked in his wardrobe, Yuuri has something appropriate to wear, correct?"

"Where exactly are you going?" Phichit asked curiously as he started tapping notes on his tablet. "I want to make sure it fits the-"

"When I say formal, I mean _formal_ ," Victor explained. Phichit's eyes shot up from his tablet in surprise. "We're going to meet with Popovich."

"Oh…" Phichit murmured thoughtfully. "I'm sure I'll be able to come up with a few options for Yuuri. Do you want to see them first?"

"Whatever Yuuri is most comfortable in is fine with me," Victor assured him. "Please select my tuxedo to complement his attire. If you have any further questions about the venue, Chris should be able to answer them."

"Right, well, I'll go find Yuuri," Phichit responded brightly as he tried to hide the underlying tension in his expression. "By the way, don't forget that the Omega Specialist is coming by tomorrow morning to see Yuuri."

"Oh…it completely slipped my mind," Victor replied. "Thank you for reminding me."

"It's what I do, Boss," Phichit called over his shoulder as he hurried from the room to track down Yuuri. The Alpha reached out to open the first of a stack of folders on his desk that never seemed to get smaller. He wished he could go find Yuuri as well, but unfortunately, there was always work to be done when you were Pakhan.

 **xxx**

"What do you think of this one? You did look amazing in that black and red dress for the ballet after all."

Yuuri thoughtfully examined the elaborately embellished crimson gown that Phichit had just removed from one of the many garment bags in the closet. He wasn't sure how many outfits Phichit had shown him already, only that he was having a difficult time deciding on one.

"I…I don't know?" Yuuri muttered. "It's really…um, shiny? Do you think Victor would like it?"

"Yuuri, I told you. Victor wants _you_ to like it and feel comfortable," Phichit assured him yet again.

"But what if I pick something that isn't nice enough or appropriate or-"

"I am only showing you ones that I know are acceptable for the occasion, okay?" Phichit interrupted as he zipped the clearly rejected outfit back into the bag. He hung it back up and reached for the next one. "This one arrived from Italy during your heat. It's a bit simpler than the others, but also one of my favorites."

Phichit hung the bag on the outside of the closet door and carefully unzipped it to reveal a navy-blue gown. The neckline plunged scandalously low, but the dress managed to maintain a semblance of modesty with the inclusion of long sleeves and a voluminous skirt.

"Ooh," Yuuri whispered as Phichit proceeded to pull out the gown so the Omega could examine it closer. Delicate embroidery began at the front waist, curling and twisting toward the back of the dress where it spread out across it. The focal point of the swirling pattern of stitches was a fleur-de-lis placed at the center of the back.

Yuuri reached out to run the tips of his fingers across the small, shimmering crystals that lightly decorated the embroidered areas, as well as the shoulders. Phichit reached for the other hanger in the bag to pull out a pair of fitted pants in the same dark blue material as the gown.

"It's kinda like a gown and a tux had a baby…so cute!" Phichit chuckled as he set the pants aside. "You like it?"

"I love it," Yuuri breathed out with a bright smile for the other man. "I could wear the sapphire and diamond necklace with it, right?"

"Yes, that's what I was thinking. This will also partner well with Victor's black and navy tux," Phichit squeaked excitedly as he started to remove the gown from the hanger. "Now, let try this on and see if we'll have to make any alterations."

 **xxx**

"Georgi has agreed to the formal meeting and we've landed on tomorrow evening as the time. The restaurant we'll be going to is aware that his men will be by to make a sweep of the place in the late afternoon beforehand," Chris informed Victor as he strode into his office. "If all goes well at the formal meeting, the secondary meeting for just the two of you will take place the following day…probably at the club."

"Perfect," Victor nodded in approval as he set the pile of files that he'd finished reviewing in the safe beneath his desk and locked it.

"Your outfits are selected," Phichit announced as he walked in with a pleased expression on his face.

"Yuuri found something he liked?"

"Yes…although I did order things based on the measurements given on his profile before you were mated," Phichit explained. "I think he's still down a couple pounds from his heat, but it's not so noticeable that the clothing will need alterations."

Victor frowned slightly as he considered this information. _I'll have to make sure that Yuuri is eating enough…see if there's anything I can do to help him gain the weight back…maybe hire a nutritionist-_

"Victor, he's fine," Phichit interrupted his spiraling thoughts with a smile.

"Speaking of eating…" Chris' voice was laden with innuendo, earning an eye-roll from the other Beta as he turned to look at the blond. "Do you have plans for dinner, Phichit?"

"Hmm," Phichit smirked as he opened his tablet. "I'll have to check my schedule and see if I have time."

"By all means," Chris playfully drawled as he leaned against the doorframe. "I'd love to fill a slot in your sched-"

"Out!" Victor shooed them both into the hallway with an exasperated sigh. "You two can flirt all you want somewhere else."

"Got it, Boss," Chris cheerily replied as he grabbed Phichit's hand and yanked the amused assistant into his office next to Victor's before closing the door. The Alpha chuckled and went in search of his mate. He couldn't help but be inspired by the affectionate display he just witnessed.

Victor longed to hold Yuuri in his arms and keep him safe from the world. He wasn't sure how the next couple of days would go, but he knew that with Yuuri by his side he could face anything that Georgi and Yakov could throw at him.

 **xxx**

"That was so good," Yuuri sighed happily, belly full as they reached the second floor. The Omega had to admit that given how distracted they were at lunch with one another, he'd definitely worked up an appetite for dinner when it finally came around. "I'm not going to fit in that outfit tomorrow if I'm not careful."

"I doubt that will happen, but I'm happy to help give you a workout if you'd like," Victor teased as he wrapped his arms around Yuuri and nuzzled his throat.

"Is that so?" Yuuri leaned into Victor's embrace with a relaxed sigh.

"Of course, but I don't want you to worry about what you eat or gaining weight, okay?" Victor murmured as he laid a trail of kisses along Yuuri's neck. "I think you're beautiful, regardless of your size. I just want you to be healthy and happy."

"We'll see if you're still singing that tune when I get pregnant and start to look like a whale," Yuuri laughed. "Or afterward when I have stretch marks."

Victor snorted in amusement and released Yuuri so they could continue walking down the hall to the bedroom. He took the younger man's hand and brought it to his lips to kiss the back of it.

"I can't wait. I'm sure you'll look amazing," Victor replied. The Alpha's eyes were full of heat as they roamed down Yuuri's body, making the Omega blush. "I don't think I'll be able to keep my hands off you."

"And how is that any different than now?" Yuuri smiled as they went inside their room. He still couldn't believe how lucky he was. He'd never dared hope that he'd find an Alpha like Victor, a man who wanted Yuuri to be…Yuuri.

"Fair point, moy milyy," Victor laughed as he effortlessly swept Yuuri up into his arms to carry him the rest of the way. "Speaking of, um, being pregnant. The specialist is coming over tomorrow morning."

"Is he going to run an early detection test?" Yuuri asked eagerly as he was gently set down on the bed. The test was specifically for Omegas and could be taken as early as the week after a heat had ended to see if their body was already producing the hormones that signified they were pregnant. One of Yuuri's hands instinctively strayed toward his belly as he considered the idea that he might already have a child growing inside him.

"You're still okay with that, right?" Victor asked as his hand joined Yuuri's against the Omega's stomach.

"Yeah, I am," Yuuri nodded shyly. "I want to know."

"Me, too," Victor replied, a naughty smile spreading across his face. "And even if you aren't yet, I'm more than happy to keep trying for as long and as often as it takes."

"Ha, that must be quite a hardship for you," Yuuri wrapped his arms around Victor's neck to pull the Alpha down onto the bed with him.

"Mm, well, _something's_ quite hard right now, I assure you," Victor wiggled his eyebrows meaningfully as his hips slotted between Yuuri's thighs. They both dissolved into a fit of laughter, happiness making them feel giddy as it fed back and forth between them through the bond.

Yuuri buried his blushing face in his mate's neck, unable to be quite so bold in his actions and words. In the end, his body did the talking for him as he felt himself growing slick and the air filled with an unmistakable sweetness.

"Victor…" Yuuri gasped needily as he began to tug at the bottom of his long sleeping gown, yanking it up around his hips and spreading his legs further. Victor groaned in response as he sought Yuuri's lips, kissing him roughly as he lifted his body off of the younger man just enough so he could slide his pants down and free his cock.

"You drive me insane," Victor growled as he guided his thick, hard length to Yuuri's opening and pressed inside. His hips snapped forward, impaling Yuuri on his cock in one smooth drive that knocked the wind out of the Omega. Victor's teeth tugged on Yuuri's lower lip as he grabbed the back of his mate's thighs and spread them further so he could bury every last inch of himself. "I want you…all the fucking time."

"God…Vitya…" Yuuri whimpered, body on fire as Victor began to pound into him, dragging his long, thick cock nearly all the way out before slamming inside again. Victor kissed him one more time before he leaned back so he could blatantly stare at the way his slick-soaked cock spread Yuuri's snug hole wide with every thrust.

"So perfect…it's like your body is sucking me in…" Victor groaned as he pushed Yuuri's legs further up until he was practically bent in half, fucking into his velvet heat with abandon.

Yuuri's head fell back with a low moan, pleasure building as Victor stimulated his prostate with every twitch of his hips. Their breathing was ragged as they continued, passion for one another unwavering even after two earlier rounds that day. Victor growled and threw Yuuri's legs over his shoulders so he could lean in close enough to kiss the Omega. His hips continued their relentless movement as their mouths met, balls smacking wetly against the smooth skin of Yuuri's ass as he plunged inside.

Yuuri's cry as he came was echoed by his mate own against his lips as he clenched down hard on the large cock buried deep within him, throbbing around the steel-like length as Victor's hot seed filled him to the brim.

"Yuuri…my Yuuri…" Victor panted out as they lay there trying to catch their breath. Thoroughly well-fucked and increasingly exhausted, Yuuri's eyes were difficult to keep open as Victor laid breathless kisses upon his face.

"That was amazing," Yuuri mumbled with a delirious, lopsided smile as he peered up at his mate. "Promise me that we'll always _keep trying_ like that…even if I'm already pregnant."

"I promise," Victor softly replied as their lips met again. "I don't think I'll ever get enough."

* * *

 **Endnotes:**

Next chapter is the formal dinner meeting with Georgi and his Omega.

If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment :)

I'm on Tumblr, username: animefanimefic


	17. LifeLove

"Yuuri…"

The young omega smiled sleepily at the sound of Victor's voice as he woke. The scent of evergreen and clove wrapped around him as surely as the alpha's strong, familiar arms. Yuuri giggled as Victor nestled impossibly closer against his back and began to pepper his throat with kisses.

"Victor, that tickles," he laughed and turned in his mate's embrace to face him. Yuuri blinked the last of the slumber from his cinnamon-hued eyes as he met Victor's gaze. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get over how attractive his husband was. Even in the dim light of morning that peeked through the heavy drapes, he stole Yuuri's breath away. Yuuri shyly ducked his head beneath Victor's chin as he felt his cheeks grow flushed, burrowing into his arms with a contented sigh.

"What time is it?" Yuuri asked with a yawn.

"A little before nine." Victor kissed the top of his head. "The doctor will be here at ten. I thought it best to wake you now, so you have time to eat and shower."

"Thank you." Yuuri reluctantly sat up, loathe to part with the warmth of Victor's body. He sniffed the air and glanced over to the nightstand where a tray sat with a covered plate and a small tea set. "Did you bring me breakfast?"

"Of course, moy milyy," Victor proudly replied as he scooted off the bed to retrieve the tray and turn on the bedside lamps. He brought the tray around to the other side as Yuuri propped himself up against the pillows and headboard. Victor popped out the legs beneath the tray to stand it up across Yuuri's lap before pulling off the cover with a flourish.

"For your dining pleasure this morning…rice, ham, eggs, and- Oh, I almost forgot! The Genmaicha tea that Phichit ordered arrived, so I thought you might like to try that."

"Victor, this is wonderful. Thank you," Yuuri felt his face growing pink once more as a silly grin spread across his face.

"It makes me happy to take care of you like this." Victor's gaze was brimming with adoration as he looked at Yuuri. "I'll be back in a little while for the appointment."

"Okay," Yuuri softly replied as he watched his alpha leave the room. Yuuri couldn't help but admire the view as Victor strode away. It took him several long seconds after he'd departed for Yuuri to snap out of it and turn his attention back to his meal.

 **xxx**

Dr. William Strauss was a greying, middle-aged Beta with kind brown eyes and a soft, but confident voice.

Yuuri liked the Omega Specialist immediately.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you," Dr. Strauss had declared with a smile as they all sat down on a large couch in the library. He set his bag on the table next to it and began to pull out the items he would need. "It sounds like your heat went well, yes?"

"Yes, I think so. I feel like I've gotten most of my energy back," Yuuri replied as the doctor clipped a heart rate monitor on his finger.

"Excellent, and are you back to your pre-heat weight?" He asked as he wrapped a cuff around Yuuri's arm to take his blood pressure.

"I'm still down a couple pounds," Yuuri admitted.

"That's not too bad," Dr. Strauss assured him as he removed the cuff and heart rate monitor. He jotted down the results with a pleased nod, seemingly satisfied with the readings.

"Okay, now for the fun part." The doctor smiled wryly and set a rectangular device about the size of a shoebox on the table. "I'm going to take a blood sample from Yuuri and run it through this machine. It will analyze the hormone levels in the sample and determine whether he is pregnant. We'll know the results in about five minutes."

"Wow, really?" Victor murmured in wonder as he squeezed Yuuri's hand.

"Yes, it has a 95% accuracy rate," he informed them as he took Yuuri's other arm and rolled up the sleeve above his elbow. Yuuri had never liked needles and preferred not to observe when this type of thing was necessary. He turned his head to look at Victor instead as Dr. Strauss tied a tourniquet around his upper arm to make it easier to find a vein.

"Are you alright?" Victor's concern was evident as their eyes met. Yuuri shrugged in response as Dr. Strauss wiped down a small patch of skin in the crook of his elbow.

"I'm okay," Yuuri forced a smile on his face and tried to ignore the brief sting of the needle. "I just don't like this part very much."

"There we go. All done." Dr. Strauss removed the needle and pressed a cotton ball to the small puncture. "Hold that there for a moment please."

Yuuri sighed with relief and held it until the doctor could place a piece of cloth tape over it. The omega rolled down his sleeve as the doctor inserted the vial of blood into the machine and turned it on.

The five minutes that followed seemed to take an eternity to pass.

He wasn't even sure what they talked about as the doctor continued to examine him; listening to his heart and lungs, examining his scent glands and bond mark for any signs of inflammation. All Yuuri could focus on was the soft whirring sound of the machine as it worked to determine whether they were expecting. The readout panel on the front of it lit up as a quiet ping indicated the test had completed.

"Congratulations," Dr. Strauss grinned at them after reading the results. "It appears you're going to be parents."

"Really?" Yuuri whispered in disbelief as Victor embraced him tightly from behind and nuzzled his throat.

"Yes, the results indicate you are producing a notably high level of pregnancy hormones already," Dr. Strauss assured Yuuri as he packed up the machine. "Victor, please have your assistant call my office to schedule a follow-up appointment for Yuuri in a month."

"Of course, thank you, Dr. Strauss." Victor was beaming with happiness as he shook the other man's hand and stood to accompany him to the exit. "I'll be right back, Yuuri."

A smile spread across Yuuri's face in the silence of the library as the reality of the doctor's words hit home. He looked down at his stomach and pressed a hand to it. He couldn't remember ever being happier.

 **xxx**

"Did everything meet Georgi's expectations at the restaurant?" Victor asked Chris as they waited in the main entry for Yuuri. His omega was currently upstairs with Phichit, putting the finishing touches together for his outfit.

"No complaints so far," Chris replied with a nod.

"Any new concerns about the handoff that I should be aware of?" Victor asked as the faint sound of Phichit and Yuuri's voices drifted downstairs.

"I don't foresee any problems," Chris assured him. "But I'll be nearby monitoring the situation just in case. We've got cameras inside and out, not to mention a few more in the surrounding blocks to watch their every move. Georgi won't get anything past us."

"Good, because I want this night to go smoothly…" Victor's voice trailed off as Yuuri came into view on the staircase.

Yuuri had looked amazing in the black and red dress he'd recently worn to the ballet, but the navy blue gown he wore tonight stunned the alpha in a whole new way.

Delicate embroidery framed the temptingly low neckline from the collar all the way down to encircle Yuuri's slim waist. The design served to heighten the omega's curves further as it flared outward in a voluminous skirt that Victor knew hid his mate's full, bouncy rear within its velvet folds. Victor loved how elegant, yet sensual Yuuri looked. He was just-

"Perfect," Victor sighed happily as he hurried forward with a grin on his face. "You're breathtaking. Simply beautiful."

Yuuri didn't answer for a few seconds as his gaze raked down Victor's tuxedo-clad body. His cheeks brightening with the most delightful blush as his eyes snapped back up to meet Victor's.

"Y-you look beautiful, too- Err, I mean, handsome," Yuuri stammered shyly as he took a jewelry box from Phichit's hands and opened it to show Victor the contents. One of his mother's favorite chokers sparkled against the black velvet interior of the case.

Five oval-shaped Ceylon blue sapphires, evenly spread along it and surrounded by an elaborate setting that included hundreds of sparkling diamonds. Some of Victor's clearest memories of his mother were when she had been wearing it. Her eyes had been so blue, just like the sapphires that adorned her neck.

Victor's heart swelled with joy as he gazed into Yuuri's cinnamon-hued eyes. It made him happy that Yuuri would be wearing something that held such treasured memories for him.

"This is a wonderful choice," Victor's throat was tight with emotion as he removed the collar from the box and unlocked it. Yuuri turned to allow him to wrap it around the slender column of his throat before locking it once more. The alpha slid the key into his pocket and took a step back to hold his arm out for his mate.

"Shall we?"

xxx

 _What if I do something stupid? Say the wrong thing? Embarrass Victor?_ Yuuri's leg bounced nervously as everything that could possibly go wrong raced through his head. _Stop it!_ _You need to be strong for Victor. This is an important meeting and he can't be distracted by-_

"Yuuri?" The young omega jumped slightly in his seat as Victor placed a hand on his shoulder. Yuuri looked at him and took a deep breath. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Yuuri responded as he exhaled and nodded. "I just don't want to screw this up for you."

"Oh, Yuuri, you'll be fine," Victor smiled reassuringly and brought Yuuri's wrist to his lips, inhaling the omega's scent and placing a gentle kiss upon it. "Just having you with me will make all of this so much more tolerable. Trust me."

"Okay," Yuuri replied as they slipped out of the car. Victor's arm wrapped around his waist, a steadying presence to guide him forward into the restaurant. Yuuri forced himself to keep his head held high, the very epitome of grace and elegance under the scrutiny of the other patrons. Yuuri ignored them all and kept his eyes straight ahead as they were led through the main dining room to a more secluded private area in the back.

As they entered two people rose from the table in the center of the room. One of them was a tall, dark-haired alpha in a perfectly tailored black suit with satin lapels, paired with a matching black shirt and tie.

 _This must be Georgi._ Yuuri guessed as the man extended his hand in greeting to the other alpha.

"Victor, it's a pleasure to see you. It's been too long," Georgi declared as they shook hands.

"Indeed, it has, Georgi." Victor agreed and gestured to Yuuri. "This is my mate, Yuuri."

"It is nice to meet you," Georgi replied with a polite nod in Yuuri's direction before directing his attention to the woman at his side. "This is my darling, Anya."

The omega standing beside Georgi was slender and petite. Her long-sleeved burgundy gown clung shamelessly to the curves of her body. The collar around her neck was an intricate web of garnets set in gold. Her wavy brunette hair fell across half of her pretty face and trailed down her back.

Anya's gaze flickered upward to meet Yuuri's own and he felt a chill run through him, unable to decipher the emotions that filled her eyes before she quickly looked away.

"I'm pleased to meet you," she murmured softly with crimson-painted lips. Yuuri could pick up the faintest hints of her scent in the air from this close, a seductive mix of rose and incense.

"And I the same, Anya," Yuuri responded as they took their seats at the table. Yuuri couldn't resist the urge to scan the room through lowered lashes. The bodyguards on both sides of the room were both reassuring and unnerving. They served to remind Yuuri just how precarious the situation was. He turned to Victor and squeezed his hand, a bright smile on the omega's face to try and mask the fear he felt surging within.

 _The best thing I can do is help keep him calm so he can use this meeting to his advantage._ Yuuri told himself as Victor leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"Don't worry, moy milyy," Victor whispered as the wine was poured. "Everything will be fine."

xxx

"I'll be completely honest, Victor," Georgi took a sip of his wine and leaned back in his seat. "Yakov was not exactly pleased with my decision to come to Saint Petersburg."

"Then why did you?" Victor was intrigued by the seemingly forthright approach of the other alpha. If they could cut through all the bullshit and games to get to the heart of the matter sooner, Victor was all for it.

"It may seem hard to believe, but I would hope that in the future there could be better relations between our organizations," Georgi earnestly replied as he took Anya's hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of her hand. "Love has made me see that anything is possible. Why should we not find a way to mend the bridges burned by the old regime?"

"Hmm, it's certainly something I would be willing to consider," Victor murmured thoughtfully. "I think a proper display of good faith would be promptly handing over my men tonight. After all, actions speak louder than words."

"Of course." Georgi took another drink, eyes still locked on Anya as he gazed at her with adoration. "They are waiting with my men nearby for the handoff once we're finished here. You can rest assured that no harm will come to them…so we should focus on enjoying our evening, yes?"

"I suppose that's fair," Victor agreed with a good-natured chuckle. The response was meant to put others at ease, something he'd perfected in his teens. It had always been useful for getting others to let down their guard around him. "So, enough business for the moment. Tell me, how did you meet Anya?"

Victor had heard for quite some time that Georgi had an omega, but no one had actually ever seen the woman. Even with the elaborate collar on her neck, there was no hiding the fact that there was no bonding mark there.

 _Maybe they're not really mates. Perhaps she's just some Moscow whore playing the part for the evening to make us think Georgi has an omega._ Victor wanted to consider the idea of peace and better relations between their groups, but realistically he needed to keep an eye on finding weaknesses that he could exploit in Yakov's successor.

"We've been together for about a year now," Georgi's right eye twitched slightly, a crack in the alpha's otherwise calm façade as he shot a strained smile Victor's way. "Yakov secured the match and brought us together."

Victor's eyes widened almost imperceptibly. He couldn't imagine waiting that long to bond with Yuuri. It would have driven him mad.

"I want Anya to be happy and if waiting until we're both ready to bond is what she needs, I can respect that," Georgi explained. "She's worth it."

"I think that's very sweet of you," Yuuri softly interjected. "It's a big decision and every pair has to do what's right for them. Don't you agree, Victor?"

"Y-yes, absolutely," Victor felt guilt coil in his chest. _Should we have waited? Did I push Yuuri to bond too soon? Am I-_

"I hope that both of you find as much joy one day in your bond as we have found in ours," Yuuri took Victor's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Ah, a romantic after my own heart," Georgi declared with shining eyes. "I hope so as well."

As the drinks flowed and delicious food was served, the two alphas commiserated on the topics of life and love. Yuuri seemed amused by it all, occasionally commenting and seemingly content to allow them the chance to connect. Georgi made several attempts to pull Anya into the conversation as well, but the omega appeared hesitant to participate, preferring to quietly sip her wine. About halfway through dinner, against his better judgment, Victor found himself starting to actually _like_ Georgi Popovich.

 _Maybe we could build a peaceful coexistence between our organizations after all._ Victor wondered. _It would be safer for Yuuri and the baby to have less turmoil around us._

Victor watched Yuuri stifle a yawn, eyes drooping as the evening went on. He glanced at Georgi, who had noticed as well and nodded in a moment of shared understanding.

"It's getting late. I think it's time that we head back to the hotel," Georgi suggested. "I'm sure you're eager to get your men back as well."

"Yes, that would be best," Victor agreed as they all rose from their seats and put on their jackets.

"They're making the exchange with Plisetsky now," Georgi explained as he finished sending a message to the guards holding Victor's men. The silver-haired alpha reached out to shake his hand.

This had gone far better than Victor could have dared hoped.

"I'll have Chris call in the morning to work out the final details for our next meeting," Victor replied.

"I look forward to it," Georgi beamed as he wrapped an arm around Anya's waist to lead her from the restaurant.

The night air was crisp and cold as they stepped outside. Victor and Yuuri headed to their car, while Anya and Georgi went to theirs across the street. Victor felt almost giddy as he turned to Yuuri and pulled him in for a kiss. The omega giggled as Victor pressed him gently against the car and nuzzled his neck.

 _I love that sound._ Victor thought as he kissed Yuuri again.

"Come on, let's get home...so we can continue this." Yuuri's eyes glinted with a playful mischief that was unfairly sexy. His gaze shifted, causing Victor's to do the same as they watched Georgi hurry back across the street toward the restaurant.

"Everything alright?" Victor called out.

"Anya left her bag at the table," Georgi explained with a shrug as he reached the entrance and went inside. Victor watched the door close before turning back to Yuuri with a grin.

"Ready to go, moy milyy?" Victor asked as he opened the door so Yuuri could slide inside. His cinnamon-hued eyes were dark with desire, brimming with want as he looked up at Victor through a thick fringe of lashes.

Victor gasped as a loud boom filled the air.

The sound of metal ripping at the seams accompanied a wave of heated air that knocked Victor back a step.

The windows in the front of the restaurant rattled violently but stopped short of shattering as they continued to bear witnesses to the fiery shell of Georgi's car as it burned.

* * *

 **End Notes:**

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	18. Delicate

**A/N:** Happy Holidays everyone! I know it's been a minute since I posted anything, but there's been a lot going on in my life that's made it difficult to find my muses over the last couple of months. I truly appreciate the love you've all continued to show for this fic. The interest has helped keep this work in the forefront of my mind.

There's someone who deserves a HUGE thank you for helping me break out of this rut, and that's Ars_Matron. They are an amazing thought partner and fantastic writer. This chapter would not be making its way to you without their help. Thank you again Ars_Matron!

* * *

Yuuri wasn't sure what had happened.

The noise from the explosion had left his ears ringing.

There were several long seconds when Victor and he were separated as the screech of glass and metal breaking filled the air and the alpha stumbled backward on the pavement.

Before Yuuri could process what was going on, Victor snatched him out of the car. He swung the omega up into his arms and ran from the scene. Guards surrounded them on all sides as they hurried away along the lamp lit streets of Saint Petersburg.

Yuuri's cinnamon-hued eyes widened in horror as he gazed over Victor's shoulder and took in the sight of the fire and smoke they'd left behind. An anguished scream echoed in the night across the distance, sending a chill down Yuuri's spine.

 _Oh, God._

 _Georgi…_

 _Anya was-_

"Call Yuri. Make sure they got our people away safely," Victor ordered one of the men closely shadowing them. The alpha's anger-tinged pheromones flooded the air as he continued to bark orders at his men. Yuuri shivered, overwhelmed by the dominant scent. He let out a distressed whine and clung tightly to his mate.

"Victor, I don't feel well," Yuuri whimpered.

"Just hang on a little longer. We're almost to the other car," Victor murmured. "I'll keep you safe."

Yuuri's chest felt tight and he found it harder to breathe with every second that passed. Darkness encroached on his vision, bringing with it the tempting promise of oblivion.

"Yuuri!"

The last thing he remembered before passing out was looking into Victor's blue eyes and seeing the unmistakable fear they held.

When he woke up, Yuuri was disoriented. He gazed up at the ceiling of their dimly lit bedroom in confusion.

 _Was it all just a bad dream?_ He wondered as he glanced over at Victor's sleeping face. Yuuri sat up and froze at the sight of the rumpled clothing the alpha still wore from their dinner with Georgi and Anya.

 _Anya…_

Yuuri's hand flew to his mouth with a soft gasp as he remembered the flames and smoke that rose from the wreckage of the car. He swallowed hard and forced himself to steady his breathing.

 _I can't fall apart right now._ Yuuri reached out to run his fingers through Victor's silver hair. _My mate needs me to be strong. I need to help keep him calm and focused._

Yuuri released a coaxing burst of his scent in an attempt to gently rouse his slumbering mate. Victor's eyes blinked open after a few moments. His face held a relieved expression as he sat up and pulled Yuuri into a tight embrace.

"Thank God, you're awake," Victor murmured before leaning back to look at Yuuri. "Do you feel okay? I was so scared when you dropped."

"I…I dropped?" Yuuri whispered in disbelief. "I'm so sorry, Victor. How long was I out?"

"No, it's I who should be sorry. I shouldn't have exposed you to such a volatile situation in the first place. I just didn't expect…" the alpha's weary voice trailed off with a heavy sigh as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. "It's 6 a.m., so about eight hours."

"I'm feeling okay now," Yuuri replied softly as Victor pulled him back into his arms and buried his face in the omega's neck. "Do you have any idea what happened at the restaurant? Are Georgi and Anya okay?"

Yuuri held his breath, hoping he was wrong about Anya. Victor ran a hand along the younger man's back in a soothing motion.

"I don't want you stressing yourself about it, alright?" Victor sidestepped the question. "Just rest and-"

"Victor." Yuuri leaned back to look his mate in the eye. "Tell me what happened."

"Okay, okay…" Victor reluctantly agreed. "We're waiting for more information from our contacts at the Saint Petersburg police on the details once their forensic team has finished their preliminary investigation. Otabek went back overnight with a team to go over every inch of our own car to see if there was a bomb there as well."

Yuuri's breath hitched in realization. That's why Victor had snatched him out of the car so quickly and ran to the second car instead of driving away in the one they came in.

"W-was there? A bomb, I mean?"

"No, our car was clean," Victor assured him.

"What about Anya? And Georgi?"

"Anya and their driver are dead," Victor murmured. "Georgi is alive."

"That poor man. He loved her so much," Yuuri burrowed tighter into Victor's embrace, his heart heavy at the thought of Georgi's loss. "Do we know who did this?"

"We're not sure who might have been involved," Victor sighed. "Chris is reaching out to our contacts to determine whether any of the other organizations had a hand in this. Yuri is checking to see if any undesirables with a grudge may have slipped into the city without our knowledge."

"Is there anything we can do for Georgi? I can't imagine what he's going through," Yuuri worried.

"We've been trying to reach out to Georgi, but he's not taking our calls last time I checked," Victor explained.

"Are you-"

A soft, but insistent knocking on the bedroom door drew their attention. Victor rose from the bed and answered it. The light from the hallway illuminated Chris as they spoke in hushed tones.

"I have to go take care of something. Rest some more," Victor finally informed Yuuri.

"But I feel fine now-"

"Someone in your delicate condition should be taking it easy," Victor interrupted. His firm tone left little room for argument as he gestured for Yuuri to remain ensconced in the warm bed. "I'll be back soon."

Yuuri frowned as Victor closed the door behind him without another word.

"I'm not made of glass," Yuuri yawned and rubbed his eyes, stubbornly refusing to stay bedridden one moment longer. He slid out from beneath the covers and headed for the bathroom to take a shower.

 _I'm going to show Victor that he can count on me._ A surge of determination raced through Yuuri's veins as he turned on the water. _The sooner I prove to him that I'm not an emotional wreck, the better._

"Our sources confirmed that Yakov is already on his way to Saint Petersburg," Chris said as they headed toward Victor's office. "He's bringing quite a large entourage apparently. More than would be needed for just protection."

"Let him come," Victor growled as a dark smile spread across his face. "We've already pulled a considerable number of our members in from nearby cities because of Georgi's visit, so we'll have the numbers available to take him on."

"What do you want to do about securing our businesses further?" Chris asked as they strode into Victor's office.

"All our warehouses have had their security doubled," Yuri interjected. He was waiting for them just inside, already pacing the room like a caged animal that was waiting to be unleashed. "The only places where we'll have a bit of a gap will be the smaller storefronts and businesses. Fortunately, most of them are too publicly visible for even Yakov to take aim at."

"Excellent. Does that leave us enough manpower to guard this property?" Victor turned to face them, leaning back to sit on the edge of his desk. "I'm not taking a risk with my Yuuri's safety."

"Dah, we're covered," Yuri assured him with a hard gleam in his eyes. "I've increased the frequency of patrols around the perimeter of the gates and the house."

Victor hummed thoughtfully as he carefully considered the situation. He couldn't help but feel that there was something he was missing.

"Why would Yakov take this risk when he has to know he'll be outnumbered?" Victor murmured. "It doesn't make sense…"

"Honor? Pride? Greed? Take your pick, mon ami," Chris shrugged. "He may not be thinking rationally considering this is his heir we're talking ab-"

"Yakov _always_ thinks rationally," Victor interrupted with a scowl. "Maybe it truly is just an excuse to make a move on my territory, either way, it's obvious that someone is trying to spark an all-out war between our organizations."

"Both the LeRoy and Crispino families are denying any responsibility," Yuri sighed in frustration. "I'm still waiting to hear back from our contacts within the Lee and Kenjirou families."

"Let me know as soon as you do," Victor ordered the younger man. "And have a team continue to keep tabs on Georgi's every move. If necessary, I'll use him as leverage against Yakov. You're both dismissed for now."

Victor strode over to the nearest window as the door closed behind them. He tugged back the edge of the draperies to wearily survey the dim, grey morning outside. The usually reassuring sight of his guards patrolling the grounds did little to calm the niggling fear in the back of his mind, the constant worry for his mate's safety that haunted him.

 _Seeing Yuuri drop again. It was terrifying. He was so lifeless._ Victor shivered. _I can't let that happen again. I must keep him safe and protect him at all costs. I'll be the best alpha I can for him and prove that I'll never allow anyone to hurt him._

"Here you go, Yuuri!"

The young Omega's sleepy eyes shot open as a cheerful voice rang out in the quiet dining room.

"Thank you, Mila." Yuuri sat up straighter and smiled tiredly at the maid as she placed a steaming plate of food before him.

 _Maybe I should've stayed in bed._ He stifled a yawn behind his hand. _I'm already exhausted…_

"The cook is making some of the miso soup that you like if you want some?" She offered. "After we heard what happened last night, he thought it might be comforting to you."

"That would be nice," Yuuri softly replied with a nod, moved by the thoughtful gesture. "Please give him my thanks as well."

"I'll have that out in just a minute for you," Mila chirped before heading back into the kitchen.

 _I wonder if they found out anything else about what happened last night._ Yuuri picked up his fork and began to eat, barely tasting the food as his mind wandered. _I should go check on Victor after this. I wouldn't want him to-_

"Yuuri? What are you doing out of bed?"

Victor's powerful pheromones spilled across the room as the alpha strode toward him with worry in his gaze.

 _What's gotten into him?_ Yuuri could sense the tension flowing off his mate in waves.

"Uh, I'm having breakfast?" Yuuri finally managed to anxiously squeak out before shoving another forkful of food in his mouth as Victor reached him.

"I could have had that brought up to you, moy milyy. I want you to rest and take it easy." Victor sighed in frustration as he kneeled next to Yuuri's chair and took his other hand. Victor brought it to his lips to press a kiss upon the back of it. "You're condition is-"

"Delicate. Yes, I know. You mentioned that earlier," Yuuri rolled his eyes and took another bite of food.

"It's because it's true, and I only want what's best for you," Victor murmured earnestly. "We haven't even had you checked out by the doctor yet to make sure you're okay to be up out of bed. You dropped, Yuuri. That's serious for any omega, not to mention a pregnant one." His fingers laced with Yuuri's as he moved them to rest on the omega's stomach. "I'd never forgive myself if I didn't do everything in my power to ensure that both of you are healthy and safe."

Yuuri swallowed hard and set down his fork as he glanced down at where their hands were joined. His throat grew tight with emotion as Victor's thumb brushed back and forth against his skin, a small, but tender gesture that diffused much of the frustration Yuuri felt.

"You're right," Yuuri whispered shakily, eyes stinging as tears blurred the corners of his vision. "I just want you to see that I'm not…not some pathetic, little omega who can't take care of themselves."

"Yuuri, I-"

"I want you to be able to count on me to be there for you, rather than worrying that I'm going to fall apart at the drop of a hat." Yuuri muttered despondently. "Growing up, the people closest to me never treated me like a weakling, someone who needed his hand held. They had faith that I would continue to grow, and they let me do it, helping me without ever making me feel weak."

"You're not a weak person, Yuuri." Victor squeezed his hand. "Nobody who knows you would ever think that. I'm sorry if I've ever led you to believe that I see you as such. I can only ask that you give me a chance to grow as well, to become what you need me to be in every way."

"I love you, Victor. You're already what I need," Yuuri reassured him with a shy smile. "Maybe we can grow together?"

"I'd like that very much," Victor beamed brightly and rose to his feet, placing a last kiss on Yuuri's hand before releasing it. "I'll leave you to your breakfast. I'm going to take a shower. Phichit should know when the doctor is arriving if you want to check with him once you're done."

"Okay," Yuuri heart skipped a beat at the love filling Victor's eyes. He barely noticed Mila setting the bowl of miso soup before him as he basked in the scent of joy that permeated the air even after Victor had left the room. He finally snapped out of his daze to pick up his spoon with a happy sigh.

 _When I open up, he meets me halfway._

* * *

 **End Notes:**

Let me know what you thought of it in the comments!

I'm on Tumblr and Pillowfort as Animefanimefic :)


	19. Retaliation

"Nghhhh…" Yuuri groaned as he woke, unsure where he was as he shifted amongst the nest of soft blankets surrounding him. He was dimly aware of a steady vibration throughout his body, a rumbling sound accompanied it.

 _Where am I? I was eating breakfast and then…_

Yuuri squinted in the dark, but found that he was unable to see much of anything around him. He sighed as his eyes slid closed once more. He found himself unable to keep them open any longer. The quiet murmurs of a woman speaking in Russian drifted through the air.

 _Who is that?_ Yuuri wondered as he tried to fight the urge to sleep. _Victor, please find me…_

When he opened his eyes again it was to a room decorated in red and gold. The plush blanket beneath his fingertips felt just as expensive as the rest of his surroundings looked. The décor reminded Yuuri of a high-end hotel; elegant, yet unmistakably transient for its inhabitants. Yuuri groaned as he tried to sit up and his stomach lurched violently in response.

"It's okay, Yuuri," a kind voice told him as they guided his head to a bucket. Yuuri threw up until he felt like there was nothing left in his body, dry heaving as a gentle hand rubbed his back. He glanced up at Mila with blurry eyes as she settled him back onto the pillows and set aside the bucket. The red-head poured him a glass of water with a smile and sat down on the edge of the bed to help Yuuri take a drink.

"There you go," Mila murmured as she set it aside once more and pulled the blankets up over Yuuri, gaze seemingly free of malice.

"W-where am I?" Yuuri's words felt heavy on his tongue, as if he had to force them out. _I must have been drugged._

"Don't you worry. Everything's going to be alright," Mila assured him. There was a soft knock at the door and she hurried over to it. "That must be Madam Lilia."

 _Why am I here? Where is Victor?_ Yuuri wondered as she opened the door.

An older woman with high cheekbones and sharp green eyes swept into the room. Her brunet hair was pulled back into a sleekly coiffed bun that reminded him of how Minako often wore hers when teaching ballet class. The black turtleneck and pencil skirt she wore served to enhance the poised, elegant air about her.

"So, this is Victor's omega, hmm?" She asked in heavily accented English as she strode purposefully toward the bedside. She sat down on the edge of it gracefully as she considered him. "Mila, please take out that trash can. The smell is intolerable."

"Yes, Madame Lilia," she quickly snatched it up and hurried from the room, leaving Yuuri alone with the older woman.

"I want Victor. W-where is he?" Yuuri asked as he struggled to keep his eyes open. Lilia's gaze softened in response to his obvious confusion. She reached out to brush his hair away from his face; her flowery scent comforted him as it rose from the scent gland at her wrist.

 _She's an omega?_

"You're here because my husband wishes it so as part of his schemes, but you can be assured that I will keep you safe from harm," Lilia gently ran her fingers through his hair once more, encouraging Yuuri's descent into unconsciousness. "Rest now. This will all be over soon."

"Victor, the doctor is here for Yuuri's appointment," Phichit announced as he walked into Victor's office. He looked down at the iPad in his hands and frowned as he started scrolling through the camera feeds around the house. "Just let me find Yuuri for you…"

 _I'll feel a lot better once he's been checked out._ Victor stood and slid his suit jacket on as he came around his desk to join him. "Where is he? I'll go get him."

"He must be in the master suite or the heat room," Phichit muttered as he finished looking through all the feeds. "Since they're the only ones without cameras."

"I'll find Yuuri and bring him down. You can take Dr. Strauss to the library to meet with us." Victor hurried off, taking the stairs two at a time as he made his way to their room on the second floor. He went inside and found the bed empty, checked the closet and bathroom.

 _Where are you, Yuuri?_

A weight in the pit of his stomach grew as he reached out across the bond and couldn't sense his mate nearby. Victor sprinted to the heat room, praying that he would find Yuuri nestled there amongst the blankets. He flung the door open and stared for several long seconds into the empty room. Victor took a deep, ragged breath of Yuuri's lingering scent and forced himself to be calm.

 _This is no time to panic._ Victor pulled out his phone and called Phichit.

"We're all ready in the libr-"

"I want every inch of the property scoured for Yuuri. Review all the camera footage from when I last saw him having breakfast this morning." Victor's fingers tightened around the phone as he slammed the heat room door and started to make his way downstairs. "Something has happened to my mate and I want answers!"

"I'm on it, boss." Phichit assured him before he hung up. Victor paused in the doorway to the dining room as he made his way to his office. His eyes widened at the sight of Yuuri's meal still sitting out on the table. Laid upon a cloth napkin next to the half-eaten bowl of miso soup sat the blackened remnants Anya's gold and garnet collar.

 _Georgi...he did this._ Victor felt a cold, determined calm come over him as he dialed the next number and strode swiftly to his office. _He blames me for what happened to Anya, so he took my mate in retaliation. I'm going to kill him for this. I'll-_

"What?" Yuri grumbled over the phone.

"Do you have Georgi's location?" Victor snapped as he opened the safe in his desk and pulled out two handguns, along with several clips of ammunition.

"Dah, why?"

"Get your interrogation kit and tell your squad to prepare to head out," Victor ordered as he shoved everything into a small bag and closed the safe again. "We're going to pay him a little visit."

When Yuuri woke again he was alone in the bedroom and felt far more alert than earlier.

 _I have to get out of here and back to Victor._ Yuuri rose from the bed and quietly made his way to the nearest window to peer out. He was high enough up in the building to give him a good view and immediately recognized the Mariinsky Theater not far from his location.

 _I'm right, this has to be a hotel. If I manage to slip away, it wouldn't be difficult to get help at one of the businesses or other hotels in the area._ He glanced down at his feet as he remembered he'd been wearing his slippers when Mila had spirited him away from the house. The slippers sat near the end of the bed, but Yuuri knew that they wouldn't be helpful if he needed to run away through the streets. He hurried over to the nearest closet and peeked inside, but found nothing that would assist him in his escape.

 _I'll just have to hope that I don't have to go very far to find help._ He decided as he put the slippers on instead. _They'll at least get me a little ways. Better than nothing._

Yuuri tiptoed to the bedroom door and listened for any sign of movement outside before slowly turning the handle and looking out into the hallway.

 _So far, so good._ Yuuri closed the door quietly behind him as he exited. It appeared that there were several more rooms along the hallway before he reached the main area of the spacious suite. He walked silently past the doors, using every bit of grace he had gathered from years of dancing to reach the end without detection.

 _Just a little further._ Yuuri hurried across the living room toward what appeared to be the door of the suite and pressed his ear to it, straining to see if he could hear anyone outside.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Yuuri spun around at the sound of the woman's voice. His eyes widened when he saw who it belonged to.

"Anya?" He mumbled in disbelief as the brunette stalked toward him. "But...how?"

"You brat," she growled, ignoring Yuuri's question as she grabbed his arm and started dragging him back toward the bedroom. "I'm almost free from this hell, and I'm not going to let you ruin everything now."

"Anya, please! I just want to go home!" Yuuri yanked in the opposite direction, trying to dislodge her grip. "Let go of me!"

"Mila!" Anya yelled as she turned her head toward the bedroom hallway. The brief moment of distraction gave Yuuri the chance he needed to twist his arm from her grip and shove her to the ground before running for the door again. He opened it and ran into the hall, only to halt in his tracks when he found an older man wearing a fedora in his path, flanked by two younger men with imposing builds.

"Where do you think you're going, little omega?" The man asked gruffly.

"I…" Yuuri gathered up every ounce of courage he had and stood his ground, eyes narrowing defiantly at the man. "I'm going home. Get out of my way."

"How amusing, but I think not." A small smirk tugged at the corner of the old man's mouth, as he released a wave of alpha pheromones into the air. The scent of cedar and leather was powerful and demanded Yuuri's submission like a slap to the face.

"You'll stay hidden until Georgi has taken care of Victor and learned his lesson. He needs to realize that trying to play nice with the enemy never ends well." He growled in warning at Anya as he caught sight of her cowering in the doorway. "I think losing the thing he held most dear opened his eyes to that truth."

"No, it doesn't have to be like that!" Yuuri gasped as his legs gave out and he collapsed on the floor with a soft cry; overwhelmed with fear for his mate. He protectively curled his arms around his stomach and instinctively tried to make himself appear smaller before the alpha as his dominant scent continued to fill the air.

"Yakov! Stop that right now!"

"But Lilia-"

The voices slipped into heated Russian as they argued amongst themselves. The alpha's powerful pheromones were muted by Lilia's floral scent within seconds as she tried to calm him. Yuuri breathed a sigh of relief and peered up to see that the old man and the two accompanying him had stepped past him to speak with the older omega.

 _So, he's Yakov Feltsman. It all makes sense now. He must have faked Anya's death as part of all this to make Georgi angry. Then he took me to rile up Victor. I need to get out of here and find them. Stop them from killing one another._ Yuuri glanced silently down the otherwise empty hallway as they ignored his prone figure and continued to bicker. They were clearly unconcerned about the ' _little omega_ ' trying to escape. It made Yuuri angry that they believed him so weak and pathetic that they could disregard him; that they would use him to manipulate Victor in such a way.

 _People are always underestimating omegas._ Yuuri quietly slid his toes from the slippers that were barely staying on his feet anyway. His lips curved into a small smile as he remembered telling Victor just two days earlier that he was pretty fast and hard to catch.

 _I'm coming home to you, Victor. I won't lose you._ He pushed up from the ground and sprinted down the hall, not looking back as he heard angry shouting behind him. He entered the first stairwell he came across and hurried downward, putting further distance between them.

 _They probably have some of their people in the lobby monitoring who is coming and going. In that case, they might already have someone waiting downstairs to catch me. I have to be smart about this and just get somewhere safe for now._ Yuuri's senses were sharp as adrenaline pumped through his veins; mind remarkably clear as he sought to evade his pursuers. When he reached the second floor he pulled the door open as quietly as possible and slipped into the hallway.

 _I have to find somewhere to hide._ He ran down the hall and turned a corner, vaguely aware of the creak of the stairwell door he'd recently exited in the distance behind him. Yuuri looked back for only a brief moment, and in the next he was slamming into a man coming out of one of the rooms.

"Are you okay?" He grabbed Yuuri's arm and caught him before he could fall. The man was tall, with light brown hair and a beard. His undeniably beta scent and kind expression were reassuring. "You almost took quite a tumble th-"

Angry voices in the distance interrupted the man. They both looked in the direction they were coming from, and growing closer by the second.

"Please, help me...I can't let them find me," Yuuri whispered urgently. The man's blue eyes widened with concern as he took in Yuuri disheveled appearance. He nodded as he gently pushed him inside the open door of the room he'd just exited.

"Stay here," he murmured before closing the door and leaving Yuuri alone in the room. Yuuri listened closely as the thundering footsteps of Yakov's guards approached.

"Hey, you! Have you seen an omega pass by here?" One of them asked in heavily accented English. "Black hair, Japanese-"

"Ah! Yes, I have!" The beta cheerfully replied.

 _Oh, no...he's going to tell them where I am._ Yuuri's heart leapt into his throat. _I shouldn't have trusted-_

"You just missed him. Ran that way about ten seconds or so ago."

"Spasiba," the guard muttered as they took off again. Several long seconds later, the lock on the door clicked open and the man came back inside.

"Come, sit down." He guided Yuuri to a small couch near the window and pulled the throw blanket off the back of it to drape over the young omega.

"Thank you," Yuuri mumbled gratefully as he pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped it around himself. The adrenaline that had gotten him there was fading rapidly, leaving him exhausted once more.

"It's no problem," the man reassured Yuuri as he walked over to the nearby mini-fridge and pulled out a bottle of water to give him. "I'm Emil, by the way. So, any chance you'd tell me your name and how you came to be running barefoot through the hotel in your pajamas?"

"My name is Yuuri," Yuuri took a long sip of water and tried to decide how much he could tell this stranger. No matter how kind Emil might seem, Yuuri knew nothing about him. "I promise I don't want to cause you any trouble. I just need to get in touch with my mate so he can come get me."

"That doesn't explain why you were running from those men, but it's a start," Emil smiled as he pulled out his phone. "Do you have your alpha's phone number so I can call him?"

"Uh, no…actually, I don't." Yuuri frowned as he realized he had no idea what the house number, Victor's cell number, or the number of anyone in his employ was. "Sorry, we're newly mated and I never asked him for it."

"Did you meet through the Omega Database?" Emil pulled out his phone. Yuuri nodded. "Good, I can look him up via the system registry and get his contact information that way. What's his name?"

"Victor Nikiforov."

"Wait...You're the St. Petersburg Pakhan's mate?" Emil paused and looked up from his phone at him in surprise.

"Uh, yes?" Yuuri answered nervously.

"What a lucky coincidence." Emil smiled as he scrolled through his contacts quickly before finding the one he wanted and pressing the call button. "Well, in that case, I know exactly how to handle this."

"Yes, Phichit. Thank you. Please text the details to Yuri." Victor hung up his phone and peered at the service entrance of the hotel from behind the tinted windows of his car. He could feel his mate was close and it was taking every ounce of restraint he could muster not to run straight to him.

 _No, I can't be reckless._ He took a deep breath to calm himself as he brought his hand to his lips and kissed the gold band encircling his ring finger. _I have to be strong for Yuuri; be the man he and our baby deserve._

"I saw Phichit's message. Everything's set and I'll give the signal when you're ready," Yuri explained as he slid inside the car. "Are you sure you still want to do this? We'll be spreading ourselves thin by going in from different-"

"Worried that you can't handle it?" Victor raised an eyebrow at the young beta in challenge.

"No, I've got this covered, boss," Yuri scowled as he slid an extra clip in his pocket.

"Good, let's get on with it then." Victor quickly pulled on his black leather gloves. "That fucker is going to wish he'd never stepped foot in my town."

"Damn, right," Yuri replied with a blood-thirsty grin as he and Victor popped in their earpieces. Every one of their men had one as well so they could coordinate with one another while inside the building. "It's check-in time, Swiss Miss."

"I can't wait, Kitten," Chris practically purred over the line. "I've booked us the honeymoon suite, mon cher."

"Fuck you, asshole. It's Tiger, not Kitten," Yuri petulantly replied as he shoved open the door and climbed out. Victor joined him and the gathering of their most skilled men; hand-picked by Yuri to accompany them. Victor pulled one of his guns out and clicked off the safety as they strode inside.

"Bonne chance, my friends. I'm headed in," Chris responded as Victor, Yuri and the guards headed down the empty hallway.

"Whatever, just don't fucking die, okay? Either of you," Yuri huffed as he and half of the guards peeled off at the entrance to one of the stairwells and headed upward. The remaining, heavily armed men were some of the most loyal and long-serving members of Victor's organization. They surrounded their Pakhan protectively as they headed for the elevator and went inside.

"Remember, any women, children or omegas should be subdued and contained if they are a danger to you, not killed if at all possible." Victor let his scent fill the lift as they rose, further strengthening the bond amongst all of them before heading into the danger that lay waiting for them. Victor knew without a doubt that every one of them would lay their lives down for him...he just hoped it didn't come to that.

"Everyone else is fair game, except the target." Victor growled, hand tightening on the gun in his hand as the elevator dinged to signal they'd arrived. "He's mine."


	20. Vengeance

As much as Victor wanted to lead the charge himself, he knew that success in the eyes of his men was that their Pakhan had no need to get his hands dirty. Knowing that Victor trusted them with his life was a point of pride among their ranks. So, even though it pained him to do so, he waited in the hallway, exuding an air of confidence as he leaned against the wall and watched with admiration as they did their job.

The men moved together like a well-oiled machine, kicking down the door in seconds and spilling inside the suite. The sound of surprised shrieks and angry shouts reached his ears. Gunfire briefly filled the air from those defending the suite, but they were swiftly silenced as they either surrendered to Victor's men or received a bullet to the brain.

 _Well done._ Victor smiled smugly.

Flawless execution. Ruthless precision. These were just a few of the things that the Nikiforov Bratva was known for, and Victor couldn't have been more pleased with his men for meeting his expectations.

The news of what had happened that day would spread throughout the organized crime world. It would send a clear message to all those who might have considered targeting the St. Petersburg Bratva; Victor Nikiforov was not someone you fucked with.

"Target secured."

"In position, ready when you are, boss."

"Chris...we're secured here," Victor informed them through the earpiece. "Everything settled on your end?"

"Yes, we're ready," Chris replied.

"Proceed." Victor glanced down the hall to see one of the men waving him over to the room. The attack was over, but now the real fun could begin. Victor straightened his jacket and smoothed a gloved hand over his silver hair as he went down the hall to join them. He strode into the hotel room like he owned the place, an air of disdain about him as he navigated around the bodies littering the floor. He eventually reached his target, smirking at the sight of the angry alpha kneeling on the floor with several guns aimed at him head.

"Yakov Feltsman," Victor growled as he gazed down at the man. "I hear you've been very busy causing all sorts of trouble."

Victor tore himself away from the satisfying sight of his enemy brought low before him to look around the room. His eyes quickly landed upon Anya where she sat next to Yakov's omega, Lilia on a nearby sofa under the watchful eyes of his armed men.

"So, it's true, you're alive," Victor muttered thoughtfully as he looked at Anya. The dark haired woman appeared much different without the extensive makeup and hairstyling from the other night at dinner; seeming much younger than the perfectly polished omega that they'd met. He was mildly surprised when she suddenly hissed at him, expression furious as she tried to rise and was shoved down onto the seat cushions once more by one of the guards.

"I hate you, Victor Nikiforov!" She screamed, tears rolling down her face as she slapped away the guard's hand. "I wish I'd never laid eyes on you!"

"If you want to be mad at someone, it should be Yakov," Victor replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I'm not the one who put you in this position-"

"Yes, you are!" She snarled. "You-"

"Shut up right now, Anya!" Yakov bellowed. "I'll kill you if-"

"You'll be dead soon, old man, and my family will be safe from your threats." Anya snapped at Yakov. "I'm not scared of you anymore."

"You little brat!" Yakov yelled. Victor backhanded the other alpha to silence him and turned to face Anya.

"I think I'd like to hear what you have to say, Anya," Victor ignored the other pakhan for the moment, eager to uncover the truth about everything that had been done in Yakov's scheme to pit him against Georgi.

"You don't remember me, do you?" Anya smiled bitterly at Victor. The alpha shook his head as he examined her closely.

"Are you implying that we've met before the other night? I'll admit that there's something familiar about you, but I can't put my finger on it," Victor shrugged apologetically. "Did you used to work for me?"

"No, we've never actually met in person. We never got the chance," she quietly replied as she removed her contact lenses and he was met with blue eyes instead of brown. "My name's not Anya, it's Anna Sokolovich."

Victor gasped softly as he recalled a picture of a young woman with bright blonde hair and those same blue eyes. The sweet smile that had lit up her innocent face in the photos on her omega database profile had been what initially caught his attention. It was a face that Victor had pushed from his mind, unable to alleviate the guilt he'd felt for so long after she'd been abducted. After she'd disappeared en route to his home, Interpol had investigated and concluded that she had been sold on the black market for omega slaves.

"Anna? But, I thought you...I mean…" Victor sputtered, unsure what to say in the wake of this discovery.

"He's the one who took me that day." She glared at Yakov. "He said if I didn't agree to play along with changing my appearance and name, then he'd kill my family members one by one until I did. He wanted me to keep an eye on Georgi and report back to him."

"So, you were just another pawn in this sick old man's game," Victor shook his head in frustration at the other alpha before crossing the room to where she sat. Anna looked at Victor with fear in her expression until he kneeled before her.

"Anna," Victor swallowed hard as he tried to reconcile all of the feelings rushing through him. Guilt for not keeping her safe. Relief that she was alive. Sadness for what she'd had to endure. Hope that he could at least try to make it up to her. "I'm so sorry that this happened to you."

The omega's expression morphed into one of surprise as Victor took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I promise that I will help you in any way I can," Victor murmured earnestly. "You never should have been dragged into the middle of this."

"Thank you," Anna softly replied. "I just want to return to my family. I don't want to live in fear that they'll be hurt or killed."

"I will make sure of it," Victor agreed as he stood and turned to Yakov once more. He reached out to one of the nearby guards for the phone he held and unmuted it. "Is that going to be a problem, Georgi?"

Yakov's eyes shot up to meet his in surprise. Victor sneered as he looked down at the other alpha. As planned, the entire conversation with Yakov had been relayed to Georgi via an open line with Chris.

He'd known that his trusted friend had been just the person to send to talk to Georgi. The blond beta had a way about him that got others on his side and convinced them to agree to things. Victor had joked more than once that Chris could charm the pants off a nun...and probably had at some point.

"Anya? I mean...Anna?" Georgi's voice was strained, a mix of rage and sorrow conveyed in those few words. "Was it all lies? Are you sure I can't convince you to give us a chance?"

"Georgi, if you truly care about me, you'll understand that I want to go home to my family," Anna firmly replied. "I'm sorry...this isn't fair to you either, but I can't do this anymore."

"I…" Georgi was silent for several long seconds before finally continuing. "Victor, I'd like to speak with you privately for a moment."

"Of course," Victor turned away from the others in the room and took the phone off speaker mode. "Are you on your way up?"

"Yes. Could you please have Anna removed before I arrive?" Georgi sighed, voice heavy with melancholy. "I don't think I can handle seeing her and then losing her again. I imagine it's better if I just pretend that she died the other night in the explosion."

"I'm sorry, Georgi. I'll see that she's returned to her family." Victor hung up and walked over to Anna's side once more. He extended his hand and helped her to her feet before guiding her toward the entrance to the suite.

"Anna, I'm going to have one of my men escort you down to the cars before Georgi arrives," Victor explained as he handed her off to one of the guards at the doorway.

"Thank you," Anna quietly replied as she took the offered arm of the guard.

"Take her down the back staircase," Victor ordered him, as they walked down the hall. "Georgi is on his way up in the elevator."

"Yes, sir."

Victor watched them head into the stairwell and was about to head back in the suite when Yuri's voice rang out in his ear.

"Victor, I've located Yuuri. We're heading out to your car as requested," Yuri informed him.

"Thank you," Victor breathed a sigh of relief. "Is he alright?"

"Dah," Yuri's voice suddenly grew quieter. "But he's still giving off a distressed scent, so the sooner you can wrap things up with that bastard Yakov, the better. I think seeing you would help."

"I'll finish up and be out soon," Victor assured Yuri as he resisted the urge to run out to meet them. "Tell him I love him and will see him shortly."

"Eww, you don't pay me enough for that mushy crap," Yuri sourly replied. "Here, tell him yourself."

"V-Victor?" Yuuri softly inquired.

"Yes, moy milyy, it's me," Victor glanced down the hall as the elevator opened and Chris stepped out with Georgi. "I'll be with you soon. I just need to see to a few last things."

"You're safe, right? You didn't fight with Georgi?" Yuuri asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, and Georgi is here with me now. We know what Yakov did."

"Good, I wasn't sure if Emil's friend, would be able to reach you in time," Yuuri explained.

"The Crispino family has my gratitude for protecting you and helping avert this disastrous plan of Yakov's." Victor knew there was an interesting conversation to be had in the very near future with Michele, head of the Crispino Mafia in Italy. He wanted to thank them, but he also couldn't help but wonder why Michele had sent Emil, his right hand man, to Saint Petersburg in the first place.

 _It doesn't matter right now. Most importantly, my Yuuri is safe._ Victor reminded himself as his mind began to consider all of the treacherous reasons why another crime family would secretly send their people into his territory.

"We're at the car now," Yuuri murmured softly. "You said I'll see you soon, right?"

"Yes, very soon," Victor assured him. "Please rest until I am able to join you."

"Okay," Yuuri agreed. "I love you, Victor."

"I love you, too...my Yuuri." Victor smiled as he hung up and slid the phone in his pocket.

"That was your mate, yes?" Georgi asked as they reached him. "Please make sure he knows he has my thanks for bringing the truth to light, regardless of how painful it's been to hear it."

"Of course," Victor nodded in reply. "On a less pleasant note, how would you like to handle the situation with Yakov?"

Georgi's eyes filled with sparks of anger as his gaze shifted toward the entrance to the suite. Victor couldn't have been happier about the rage that the other alpha seemed to be barely reining in.

"Death is the only option," Georgi growled with a vengeful expression on his face. "I just can't decide whether to get it over with quickly or make him suffer."

"Might I suggest the latter? I'm happy to provide a list of secluded properties where you can take Yakov," Victor offered. "I'd prefer that you do that rather than killing him now in front of his omega."

"Wait...Lilia is here?" Georgi's face grew pale as his eyes darted toward the room once more. "Did you check her for weapons?"

"No, but my guards have the situation under control."

"You don't understand, she's more dangerous than she-"

A single gunshot rang out from the room and both of them pulled out their weapons as they hurried back to the suite.

"Lilia, what have you done?" Georgi snarled in frustration as they took in the sight of her standing over Yakov's body with a snub nosed pistol in her grasp. The guards surrounding Lilia seemed shaken as she ignored the guns they aimed at her and kneeled beside her fallen mate. The bullet had hit Yakov right between the eyes that Lilia reached out to close with a wistful smile on her face.

"I kept my promise to him," Lilia finally replied. "That I would end his life rather than let him be taken by his enemies."

"But he's your mate," Victor muttered in disbelief. "You love him."

"Yes, I certainly do." Lilia's gaze never left Yakov's face as she brought the gun to her temple with unwavering resolve. "And that's why I will join him now."

xxx

"Moy milyy…are you awake?"

Yuuri burrowed closer into the arms wrapped around him, caught half-way between dream and reality as he breathed in the evergreen scent of his mate. The low purr of the car and the warm blanket covering him made it difficult to break free from sleep.

"Victor?" He finally managed to mumble as he felt his alpha's fingers running through his hair.

"Ah, there you are," Victor softly replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, now that you're here." Yuuri blinked heavily, yawning as he tilted his head up to meet Victor's gaze. His mate's blue eyes held a jumbled mix of emotions. Victor looked away, but not before Yuuri sensed the melancholy at the core of those feelings.

"What's wrong?" Yuuri murmured as he reached out to run his thumb across Victor's cheek in a soothing motion. He consciously released his calming scent into the car's interior and was pleased to feel the tension in his alpha's jaw begin to melt away as the seconds ticked by. Victor eventually released a shaky breath and turned his gaze to meet Yuuri's once more. He smiled at Yuuri, even though his eyes shone with unshed tears. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Yuuri...I just love you so much," Victor assured Yuuri as he pulled him tightly against his chest and rested his chin upon the omega's head.

"I love you, too." Yuuri whispered as he wrapped an arm around Victor's waist and let himself drift off once more.


End file.
